Apocalyptic battle will be over the status of Jerusalem

In the wake of the worldwide denunciation of President Trump’s earth-shaking decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, nations are now queueing up to follow his lead.

And yet even while archaeological finds further confirm Jewish connection to the City over thousands of years, the UK and other major European powers stubbornly refuse to face reality.

In joining the predictable chorus of disapproval at the UN, the British people are in ever-increasing danger of being numbered among the goats of Judgment Day referred to by Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew (25:31-46).

This passage is widely interpreted to relate to how the peoples of the world have treated God’s chosen race – the “brothers and sisters” (in the flesh) of our Saviour, who was born the King of Israel (Matt 2:2) and is coming back as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Rev 5:5).

Isaiah writes: “For the nation or kingdom that will not serve you will perish; it will be utterly ruined” (60:12; see also Mic 5:15).

Sheep and Goats

On my latest tour of Israel, I learnt a fascinating lesson that I believe relates to this important passage (Matt 25) – that sheep keep the grass neatly cut with their grazing while goats pull it out by the roots.

In the same way, true disciples of Jesus, the Great Shepherd, should follow him closely and feed on the rich pasture he has provided, that is nourished by the Law of Moses along with the patriarchs and prophets of Judaism. The goats, on the other hand, cut themselves off from the roots of their faith, as a result of which their pasture withers and dies (see Rom 11:17f).

Goats cut themselves off from the roots of their faith, as a result of which their pasture withers and dies.

Actually, the US Congress voted to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital 22 years ago, but successive Presidents have simply put off implementing the decision until now. And Czech President Milos Zeman has accused EU states opposing this stance as “cowards”.¹

Arab Realism

Even Arab commentators are encouraging their people to accept reality. A Saudi academic, for example, has called on Arabs to recognise Jerusalem’s sanctity to Jews. Abdulhameed Hakeem, head of the Middle East Centre for Strategic and Legal Studies in Jedda, told US-based Alhurra Television that Trump’s move constitutes a “positive shock” to the peace process, adding: “We must recognise and realise that Jerusalem is a religious symbol to Jews and sacred to them, as Mecca and Medina is to Muslims.”²

And in an article last year, he stressed that Israel and Saudi Arabia faced a common Nazi-like threat in Iran,³ which has reportedly pledged every assistance to terror group Hamas in “the battle for the defence of Jerusalem”.⁴

With its efforts to make good on a long-promised boast to wipe Israel off the map, Iran continues to be a serious threat (despite encouraging protests from within the rogue regime), establishing a military base in Syria while at the same time supplying terror group Hezbollah with a huge stash of weapons on Israel’s northern border.

Choose Whom You Will Serve

So, with the nations as a whole setting their face against Israel, and denying their right both to the Land and their capital, the stage is being set for the battle of the ages. According to the Bible, it will take place at Armageddon (or the plain of Jezreel) in northern Israel (Rev 16:16), but the trigger will be Jerusalem.

Although physical in nature, it will in reality be more of a spiritual conflict determining who is ultimately in charge of the ways of men and the world.

The stage is being set for the battle of the ages, which will determine who is in charge of the ways of men and the world.

Elijah of old was engaged in a great battle with 400 false prophets in this same region, and he won hands down with only God on his side – which is all he needed, of course (see 1 Kings 18). Frustrated at the idolatry of his people, the Prophet famously laid down the rules for the contest: The God who answered by fire would be the victor. And sure enough, the fire of the Lord burnt up the sacrifice and the people changed their mind about their allegiance.

BATTLEFIELD VIEW: A stunning scene of the plain of Jezreel, otherwise known as Armageddon, from the traditional site of Elijah’s battle with the false prophets on Mt Carmel. Picture: Linda GardnerThat bloody contest – all the false prophets were subsequently slaughtered – took place on Mt Carmel which, as it happens, overlooks Armageddon where the final great battle will be enacted, quite possibly in the very near future especially since, as the prophets have foretold, it will be over the status of Jerusalem (see Zech 12:2f).

It may come as a surprise to some that Jerusalem is God’s very own City – he effectively owns it; it bears his name (see Dan 9:18f; Neh 1:9). But false deities, with the connivance of numerous world powers, refuse to acknowledge this. They are setting a trap into which they will fall!

Jesus lamented over Jerusalem because of their rejection of him, but at the same time prophesied their ultimate acceptance of his rule (Matt 23:39). He has not finished with Jerusalem; he will come back just as he left (Acts 1:11).

Confirmation Upon Confirmation

Further confirmation of Israel’s claim to the Land has come from recent archaeological finds.

A replica of a first-century coin, dated 67 AD and containing the inscription ‘Jerusalem the Holy’, was held up at a session of the United Nations Security Council by Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon.⁵ And a seal owned by Jerusalem’s governor some 2,700 years ago has been unearthed near the Western Wall. It contains an inscription in ancient Hebrew and supports the biblical rendering of the existence of a governor in the City at the time.⁶

Speaking of the find, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat said: “Jerusalem is one of the most ancient capitals in the world, continually populated by the Jewish people for more than 3,000 years.”⁷ Another recent find – 1,300-year-old coins from the Islamic Umayyad Dynasty imprinted with an image of the menorah from the Jewish Temple – shows that early Muslims acknowledged the City’s Jewish identity. According to Assaf Avraham of Bar-Ilan University, they adopted the Jewish narrative and symbols for their own.⁸

Jesus has not finished with Jerusalem, which will ultimately accept his rule.

History Already Made

At the end of the day, Jews from all over the world are returning to their roots in fulfilment of many ancient Scriptures. The much-acclaimed film Lion tells the moving story of a five-year-old Indian boy, Saroo (‘Lion’), who got lost after becoming separated from his older brother, and was eventually adopted and brought up by loving ‘parents’ in Australia. But it didn’t stop the grown-up Saroo going to extraordinary lengths to trace his roots and find his beloved mother.

Yet, despite all the evidence supporting Israel’s claim, Palestinian leaders simply refuse to accept the truth. In the year 2000, Yasser Arafat turned down the chance of a comprehensive peace deal because he refused to recognise Jewish historical ties to Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. “The Jews never had a Temple at the site,” he said at the time.⁹ The entire Palestinian narrative is based on a lie that would be recognised by children at kindergarten. And yet world leaders don’t get it!

But they must get used to the idea. The God of Israel is the history-maker and has chosen the Jews to inherit the Land he has promised them. That there would be an almighty battle over the territory was always part of the script. The prophets warned that this would happen, but that Elohim (God) would be the ultimate victor, “watching over his word to perform it” (Jer 1:12).

The Messiah is waiting for that day – and I pray it will come soon – when his ancient people greet him once more with gladness, saying: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Matt 23:39; Ps 118:26).

Notes

1 Czech leader slams EU ‘cowards’ on Jerusalem stance. Times of Israel, 10 December 2017.

2 Lynfield, B. Saudi academic calls on Arabs to recognize Jewish connection to Jerusalem. Jerusalem Post, 18 December 2017.

3 Ibid.

4 Lieber, D. Iran pledging all its might to Hamas for Jerusalem battle, terror group says. Times of Israel, 25 December 2017.

5 JNN, 11 December 2017, quoting Arutz-7.

6 Rare First Temple-Era Hebrew seal found at Western Wall. World Israel News, 1 January 2018.

7 Ibid.

8 Berkowitz, AE. Archaeologists Discover Muslim Artifacts Proving Jerusalem’s Jewish Identity. Breakingisraelnews, 8 December 2017.

9 Christian Friends of Israel’s Watching Over Zion newsletter, 30 November 2017.

A day will come when no-one will dare dispute who rules Jerusalem

Predictable fury has erupted in the wake of President Trump’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Days of rage, incited by Palestinian leaders, have been accompanied by a chorus of condemnation from European and other political chiefs – with the honourable exception of the Czech Republic and some African countries.

And it’s all about simply acknowledging a fact of history – that Jerusalem has links with Israel going back at least 3,000 years and has long been regarded by Jews everywhere as their capital. But this is disputed by much of the Arab world and beyond.

So, tragically, violence once more spoils the precious scene of Christ’s nativity – he was born in Bethlehem, just five miles from the disputed city – just when billions of believers are about to celebrate his birth there some 2,000 years ago.

Although he was, and is, the Prince of Peace prophesied by Isaiah 700 years earlier, Jesus did also say that even members of the same family would be divided over him (Luke 12:49-53), and it was prophesied over the new-born King that he would be a sign spoken against (Luke 2:34). His promised peace is only felt by those who choose his rule over their lives.

The Nations Rage and Plot

The Bible asks: “Why do the nations rage [or conspire] and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, ‘Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles’” (Psalm 2:1-3).

But the One enthroned in Heaven is not impressed, declaring: “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain” (verse 6).

Although he was, and is, the Prince of Peace, Jesus did also say that even members of the same family would be divided over him.

These ancient words of Scripture perfectly mirror the rebellious, murderous reaction to God’s purposes today. The psalmist adds: “Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling” (vv10-11).

Notice the phrase, “let us throw off their shackles”, which speaks of the rebellion against God’s rule through much of what was formerly known as ‘Western civilisation’, built up as such on the foundations of the Christian Gospel.

Faith That Can Move Mountains

Discipleship of the One born in a ‘cattle shed’ in David’s ‘royal city’ comes down to faith in God and the courage of our convictions.

Like him or loathe him, President Trump has chosen to surround himself with advisors who have this kind of faith and know the importance of doing the right thing, even if unpopular and liable to cause outrage in the short term.

I have a wonderful friend from Morecambe called Mollie who has a very feisty, practical faith. When she got burgled recently, and the police called round to take a statement and give her a ‘crime number’, she was told not to expect to get anything back as her case would be filed in a drawer and probably forgotten about.

This is not a criticism of our hard-pressed police, who are short-staffed and run ragged by a spiralling crime rate. However, Mollie would not accept that faithless outlook and boldly declared to the man in uniform that God was able to restore her stolen items.

Next day, to her astonishment, her neighbourhood was crawling with police searching for clues and, in no time at all, she was rewarded for her faith with a pile of returned items, including her precious coat.

Discipleship of the One born in a ‘cattle shed’ in David’s ‘royal city’ comes down to faith in God and the courage of our convictions.

Another inspiring example of faith is that of William Cooke who, as a 15-year-old lad from Yorkshire, went on a short-term mission to Mexico, and while staying at a children’s home there, told his youth leader that God had spoken to him and that he would return to Mexico as a missionary one day. It happened just as he said and today, after nearly 20 years of serving in that country – currently running a home for abandoned children - he and his wife Katie have won state recognition with a $12,000 award for outstanding service to social care.

Jesus said that we could “move mountains” through faith in God (Mark 11:22-25).

Peace On Earth

In fact, “without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Heb 11:6). Israel was built on the faith of Abraham and his seed while punishment in the form of repeated exile followed rebellion against God’s ways and faith being placed in man-made idols.

It’s important to note that the focus of Hebrews 11’s long list of our spiritual forebears who exemplified great faith was not on the things of this world, but on the Heavenly glory to come.

Peace on earth – especially in the Middle East – will certainly not be built on the secular humanist philosophies of Western or any other leaders who seem unable even to settle sharp differences within their own political parties. It will come only by recognising the One who is meant to be what Christmas is all about – ‘the reason for the season’ - the Prince of Peace, our Lord Jesus Christ.

You can know his peace within your heart today, and you can look forward to the peace he will bring to earth when he returns to reign from Jerusalem (Zech 14:4-9; Isa 11:6-9)! There will be no dispute about who rules the city then.

Happy Christmas!

Trump move could provoke Armageddon scenario, but God is in charge

While the West continues to indulge in the most bizarre forms of political correctness,¹ the Middle East is bracing itself for a possible Armageddon scenario involving nuclear weapons.

The decision of President Trump to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital as a probable first step towards moving the American Embassy there could well be a catalyst for a battle of the ages.

But it’s nevertheless the right thing to do. For at some stage, difficult decisions have to be made and truth has to be acknowledged.

Are we about to see the fulfilment of Zechariah’s prophecy that God would make Jerusalem “a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling” and “an immovable rock for all the nations” (Zech 12:2f)?

The Stage is Being Set

Iran, meanwhile, is actually trying to provoke such an end-of-world cataclysm by establishing military bases close to Israel’s Syrian border, according to Ryan Mauro, an expert on Shiite religious dogma. Their leaders, he argues, are motivated by a desire to fulfill Shia prophecy of a showdown with the Jewish state that will prompt the coming of the ‘Mahdi’, an Islamic messianic figure.²

Since both Jews and Christians are also looking for their Messiah, the scene is surely being set for an apocalyptic conflagration. And it seems tragically ironic that, with the Western world having largely convinced itself there is no god, a global conflict over spiritual roots threatens us all.

Trump’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital could well be a catalyst for a battle of the ages, but it’s nevertheless the right thing to do.

Though a modern, secular state, Israel’s ancient roots in the Holy Land are undeniably spiritual. According to the Bible, they are specially chosen of God and wouldn’t have existed without him.

Iran has frequently threatened to destroy little Israel, which is why Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman accuses European leaders (representing Britain, France and Germany) of a head-in-the-sand attitude – “exactly like they did before World War II” – in opposing President Trump’s weakening of a nuclear deal hardly guaranteed to protect a highly vulnerable Jewish state.³

Despite threats of Palestinian protests, the Western Wall plaza fills with Jews as usual as Shabbat starts (Friday 12 December).

Ongoing Battle for Truth

At the same time the United Nations, the very body which conferred international legitimacy on Israel 70 years ago (confirming the position taken in 1920 by the San Remo conference), now seems to have fully adopted the Iranian/Palestinian position denying Jewish claims to the land, and in particular Jerusalem – a re-writing of history that has completely deceived media and politicians across the globe. In 1947 there was no Palestinian state, nor even a Palestinian people, but we have been taken in by a propaganda machine just as shocking and efficient as that run by Hitler’s spokesman Josef Goebbels.

Even parts of the Arab world are speaking against this deception. Kuwaiti columnist Abdullah Al-Hadlaq told a TV station: “Like it or not, Israel is an independent and sovereign state…” and those refusing to recognise it are “countries of tyranny and oppression”. He too makes the point that when Israel was established in 1948, there was no state called Palestine. “There is no occupation,” he adds. “There is a people returning to its promised land.”⁴

In this age-old battle for truth, God himself delivered a ‘trump’ card back in 1963 in the form of ancient documents discovered among the ruins of a 2,000-year-old mountaintop fortress overlooking the Dead Sea, where Hebrew University archaeologists were excavating the palace of King Herod. And I was there, atop Masada, just weeks ago. These Dead Sea Scrolls – the first were found just up the coast in 1947 – contained Psalms 81 to 85.

Significantly, Psalm 83 paints a completely up-to-date picture of Israel’s enemies plotting to destroy them “so that Israel’s name is remembered no more” (v4). Also found in the dig were 17 silver shekels dating from around 70 AD and inscribed with the words ‘Shekel of Israel’ and ‘Jerusalem the Holy’.⁵

The idea of Jerusalem being significant for Muslims is described as “nonsense” by Egyptian scholar and novelist Youssef Ziedan. “The Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem did not exist back then [when the Koran was written], and the city was not called Al-Quds” he pointed out on television in 2015.⁶

The United Nations, the very body which conferred international legitimacy on Israel 70 years ago, now seems to have adopted the Palestinian position denying Jewish claims to the land.

God’s Greater Plan

As European leaders continue to betray Jews by defending so-called Palestinian rights, they are also turning a blind eye to the horrific plight of Christians in the Middle East while Arabs are killing each other and, in a bid to win Western support for their cause, Palestinian parties Fatah and Hamas put on a sham united front, which is meaningless as the latter refuses to disarm.

Far from being united in opposition to Israel, the vast majority of Israel’s Arabs – 73% – feel a sense of belonging in the Jewish state, with 60% saying they are proud to be Israelis, according to a new poll.⁷ In addition, hundreds of Arab Christians volunteer for the Israeli Defense Force each year while there are also many instances of Muslims abandoning their faith following dreams and visions of Christ – I have met one of them.

Competing faiths: the Al-Aqsa Mosque, built on the site of the Jewish Temple. Photo by Charles Gardner.At the risk of over-simplifying the issue, it is not so much a case of Arab versus Jew as God v the devil. The latter desires darkness and destruction for mankind, but God loves both Arab and Jew, along with the rest of us Gentiles. And his plan for us all is “life in all its fullness” (John 10:10).

I enjoyed very warm Muslim-Arab hospitality during my recent tour of Israel, and commend the proprietor of the Samaritan Restaurant in Sebastia, the ancient capital of Samaria, who served the tastiest food I sampled on our travels.

It’s worth saying, too, in view of the anti-Israel stance of many Western churches, that there is huge support from Christians on the question of Jerusalem, with over half a million signatories from 168 countries backing the city as the undivided, eternal capital of the Jewish people through the ‘Jerusalem Declaration’.⁸

The Day of the Lord is Near

One effect of today’s skewed Mid-East narrative is that Palestinians get all the media sympathy for the plight of their refugees, warned in 1948 to leave their homes by the surrounding Arab states, who have never since followed up on their responsibilities.

But rare mention is ever made of the 850,000 Jewish refugees forced to leave Arab countries at the same time. Thankfully they have been absorbed successfully into Israeli society, while the Palestinian refugees and their descendants continue to be used as political pawns in an anti-Semitic game of chess.

The devil desires darkness and destruction for mankind, but God loves both Arab and Jew, along with the rest of us Gentiles.

But “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that all who believe in him will not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16, emphasis added). We are all included in his great plan of redemption. We have Heaven to gain, and Hell to shun, as we put our trust in the Jewish Messiah, Jesus. But woe to those who touch the apple of God’s eye (Zech 2:8)!
God will surely vindicate – and compensate – the Jewish people (Isa 54:17; Joel 2:25). “The day of the Lord” is near (Joel 2:1f); the battle of the ages is at the door. Make sure you are ready to meet the One who is coming back to reign.

Notes

1 The Girl Guides are to allow boys ‘identifying’ as girls to shower with girls – Christian Institute.

2 Iran’s Syria bases near Israel have apocalyptic intent. World Net Daily, 23 November 2017.

3 Hoffman, G. Def. minister: 'Europeans putting heads in the sand' on Iran deal. Jerusalem Post, 15 October 2017.

4 Sumner, E. Watch: Kuwaiti writer says Israel is a legitimate state, not an occupier. Jerusalem Post, 22 November 2017.

5 New Dead Sea Scroll Found in Israel; Contains Chapters of Psalms. Jewish Telegraphic Agency, 27 November 1963.

6 Palestinians Furious After Saudi Arabia Downplays Importance of Jerusalem. Israel Today, 29 November 2017.

7 Poll: Majority of Israel's Arabs 'Proud' to be Israeli. United with Israel, 23 November 2017.

8 Netanyahu Praises UWI’s Historic Jerusalem Initiative, ‘Unflinching Defense of Truth’. United with Israel, 18 October 2017.

Knowledge and wisdom in an age of deception and unreality.

The Roman Governor of Jerusalem’s iconic question, “What is truth?” has probably never been more apt than it is today in the 21^st Century AD. Whether Pilate was being sarcastic or he was genuinely seeking for truth has been debated by scholars for 2,000 years. In light of the spat between the leaders of Britain and the USA over the tweeting of video clips, it would be good if all those involved paused to ponder his question.

We live in an age when technology has delivered the tools to create deception, whether by airbrushing photos or by deliberately producing deceptive videos, distorting the truth and creating fake news.

It is certainly unfortunate that the President of the United States should have retweeted video clips that had come from a doubtful source. It shows a lack of wisdom and a willingness to use material from a campaigning group to vilify millions of people who belong to a particular religion.

But it is equally foolish for the British Prime Minister to use the same medium of communication to point out the unreliability of the clips. Surely the more sensible approach would have been to make a quiet phone call. At least that way would have maintained personal relationships and not caused a rift between two friendly nations.

Knowledge AND Wisdom

The trouble with our generation is that we have enormous knowledge but we lack the wisdom in how to use it. There is good reason why Paul, writing to the church in Corinth where there was a lot of squabbling and disunity, referred to the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The first two of these he linked together as ‘wisdom’ and ‘knowledge’ (1 Cor 12:8).

Celestial truth cannot be understood by the normal processes of human reason – it requires divine revelation.

There is surely a very good reason for linking these two. We can acquire an enormous fund of knowledge in our media-saturated world, where we have the whole internet at our disposal. But without the wisdom of how to use this knowledge, we can create chaos and confusion rather than promote enlightenment.

Jesus is the Light of Truth

As we enter the season of Advent it would be good to ponder on the prologue of John’s Gospel where he focuses upon the theme of light and darkness - also the theme of Hanukkah and Diwali at this time of the year. The unique feature of Advent, according to John’s teaching, is that although the light of truth came into the world at the birth of Jesus, the world did not recognise him.

John says that through the coming of Jesus, God actually came and “made his dwelling among us” – literally – “he pitched his tent among us”, as foretold by the Prophet Zechariah (2:10). But our human reason cannot cope with this. Despite all the accumulated knowledge of centuries of human development, this celestial truth cannot be understood by the normal processes of the human brain. This kind of knowledge requires wisdom that is actually a spiritual gift which can only be received through divine revelation.

God actually has to do something to our human nature to enable us to receive this wisdom, which enables us to perceive truth that goes way beyond the realm of human reason. This is what Jesus had to explain to Rabbi Nicodemus who was a devout scholar, a highly educated man and a senior academic. But his whole mindset was limited to learning on the level of human reason. Only a spiritual revelation would enable him to perceive ‘Kingdom truth’.

It was like opening the curtains in a darkened room, bringing a flood of light that shows all the things that were in the room but previously hidden by the darkness – things that you could stumble over in the dark.

The trouble with our generation is that we have enormous knowledge but we lack the wisdom in how to use it.

Deceit is Easy

In our world today, millions of people are going about stumbling over fake news, half-truths and blatant lies. They are easily deceived because they don’t know the truth that sets them free from all the duplicity, deviousness and unscrupulous machinations of the crooked generation in which we live. They are trying to see in the dark; trying to discern falsehood without having ever known truth.

It should be a salutary wake-up call to us when the leaders of the nations are found peddling fake news. How can we expect our children to discern right from wrong and to be protected from the multiple dangers of the internet and social media, if our leaders shows so little discernment?

It is small wonder that our children peddle nonsense and vilify one another over their mobile phones, sometimes with devastating effects upon their mental health.

Season of Opportunity

During this season of Advent, we have the opportunity in very practical ways to spread the true message of Christmas – the true light that has come into our dark world.

But so much depends upon our relationships with others, and how we use the tools of communication society has given us. If Donald Trump and Theresa May had only spoken to each other instead of tweeting, an embarrassing international incident could have been avoided. Surely this is a lesson to us all.

Postscript

Last week there were comments left on the editorial, speaking of the need for greater interaction between authors and readers. I warmly respond to this - we want to make this site much more open to constructive and thoughtful correspondence. Our Editorial Board are grappling with this subject and we are open to suggestions from any of our readers as to how we can improve such interaction so that we can all learn from one another in our search for the truth.

As part of this, don’t forget that we have established a secure site for such discussion, in partnership with the team at Issachar Ministries. If you would like to use this (there is a fee for joining) please contact Jacqueline at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Las Vegas, gun control and the Bible.

The USA’s latest multiple shooting atrocity in Las Vegas has hit the world headlines as the worst in a long line of similar incidents of rogue gunmen mowing down innocent civilians. As mourning once again overtakes the US, the big question occupying the media is whether or not President Trump will order a review of the gun laws that allow citizens the right to bear arms.

It will not be an easy decision as during his presidential campaign, Donald Trump was reported to have received financial support from the powerful gun lobby groups,¹ which historically have resisted every attempt to change the gun laws. Why do Americans regard it as a sacred right to carry a gun?

The Right to Bear Arms

I remember being shocked when we exchanged churches with an American minister in Los Angeles. He came and took pastoral responsibility for our church in London while I and my family moved into his home in LA and pastored his church for six weeks during the summer holiday. I have done similar exchanges with churches in New York, Vermont, Michigan, Ohio, Massachusetts and California, and I have a great love for my many American friends. My shock was when the LA minister said that he always carried a gun into church under his cassock and I should do the same!

I had been the minister of a church in Tottenham, a tough district of London, for 10 years: I’d seen street riots and I’d been involved in many violent situations, but I had never handled a gun. In inner-city areas of London with which I’m familiar, gun crime is rare and the majority of our policemen do not carry guns, even in these days of mounting terrorism.

As mourning once again overtakes the US, the media is asking whether or not President Trump will order a review of the gun laws.

Why is it that in the USA, where so many are Bible-believing Christians, even believers not only carry guns, but fiercely defend their right to purchase weapons, carry them in public and use them in self-defence? Is it something to do with their heritage?

Las Vegas Strip.In addition to our prayers for the American people, I would like to offer what I hope is a thought-provoking contribution to the gun control debate that is taking place in America amidst all the suffering and grief of this latest tragedy.

Taking Up the Gun

The USA, unlike Canada, was born in blood. Both the US and Canada were British colonies. Both the US and Canada had issues with Britain and rightly wanted to assert their freedom to determine their own future. The Canadians settled these issues by negotiation, remaining in the British Commonwealth, but the Americans took to the gun in a war that ended in independence in 1776.

Nearly a hundred years later there were issues between the northern and southern states. Once again Americans took to the gun in the bloody civil war of 1861-1865 in which thousands of young men were slaughtered or left carrying life-changing wounds.

Why do Americans regard it as a sacred right to carry a gun – is it to do with their heritage?

In the 20^th Century Hollywood took up the theme of heroism displayed in war and bloodshed, and perpetuated the American romance of conquering the Wild West and playing cowboys and Indians. John Wayne became the ideal type of American manhood with tough talk and a fast gun to settle disputes. Arguably, President Trump is continuing this image of American manhood with his threats to completely obliterate North Korea while pouring scorn on the idea of negotiating with Kim Jong-un.

Inconsistent Ideologies

In complete contrast, Americans are also proud of their historic Christian roots in the coming of the Pilgrim Fathers from Britain who were seeking a place where they could be free to practise their biblical Christian faith. This is recognised in the dollar bill that still bears the inscription ‘IN GOD WE TRUST’.

But the one-dollar bill also bears the image of the Great Seal of America that carries the insignia of the all-seeing-eye of pagan mythology. This symbolises an inconsistency in the American psyche that sees no contradiction in putting together two contrary ideologies.

At root here is a failure to recognise that you cannot be both a Bible-believing Christian whose trust is in God, and one who embraces the values of the world - including solving disputes by conquest and brutal force. The same contradictory attitude is seen in the realm of business and commerce, where monopolist values that trample upon small traders have come to dominate, even spreading into politics (as demonstrated to an extent in the election of Trump - the ideal global capitalist).

Being a Peacemaker

Jesus rightly perceived that we cannot serve two masters with diametrically opposite values. You cannot be a peace-maker if you also have your finger on a gun. The teaching of Jesus was, “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment” (Matt 5:21).

Jesus was also consistent in rejecting all forms of violence for the settlement of disputes. He even went so far as to say “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you’” (Matt 5:43-44).

Jesus not only taught this but practised it in his own life, deliberately choosing crucifixion rather than allowing his disciples to take to the sword (though Simon Peter tried!) or calling down a legion of angels for his defence.

You cannot be both a Bible-believing Christian whose trust is in God, and one who embraces the values of the world.

Recognising the Danger

I have no doubt that I will be told that the teaching of Jesus is utterly impracticable for nations today, and particularly that if other nations have nuclear weapons, we must too.

But such a policy can only end in an Armageddon-type conflict, which is prophesied in the Bible: “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare” (2 Pet 3:10).

Though we do not know when the ‘day of the Lord’ will come, it may be that Peter also intended this prophecy as a warning of what will inevitably happen if human beings do not pause to reflect upon their actions and repent, calling upon God for his help. There is a promise in Jeremiah 18:7 that if the nations repent, judgment will not fall upon us. But disastrous destruction is inevitable if we do not change our ways. Then, the scenario described by Peter and Isaiah (chapter 24) will actually happen.

The dark clouds of judgment are already gathering on the world’s horizons, with so many nations, groups and individuals being driven relentlessly by the same evil spirit that motivated the Las Vegas murderer. Our prayer is that hearts will soften before it is too late.

We would love to hear from our readers – particularly those in the US - in response to these thoughts.

References

1 E.g. see here and here.

Tracking developments in Iran.

President Trump’s speech to the United Nations this week heightened tensions in East Asia, when he declared that the USA will “totally destroy” North Korea if US interests are threatened by the rogue state led by Kim Jong-un.¹ The rest of the world has watched anxiously as Kim’s antics have threatened global peace, while Japan has protested vehemently as rockets have been fired over its territory.

But could all this attention to North Korea be something of a red herring, diverting the eyes of the world away from a much greater and more imminent threat: Iran?

For alert, Bible-believing Christians, this should come as no surprise. After all, it is Iran, not North Korea, that is named in Scripture as a key player in the end times drama set to unfold around Israel.

A Vibrant History

The region we know today as Iran has a long and fascinating history stretching right back to the early chapters of Genesis.² The Iranian plateau was first dominated by the Elamites (descended from Noah’s son Shem), who were eventually subsumed into larger empires, including those of the Assyrians and Babylonians. When Babylon fell to Cyrus the Great in 539 BC, the first Persian empire rose to prominence for around 200 years, becoming one of the largest empires in history.

‘Persia’, as the region became known,³ did not always set itself against God’s people Israel. Cyrus the Great, for instance, released the Jews from Babylonian captivity and allowed them to return to their land. The sparing of the Jewish people from the genocidal plans of Haman (perhaps a type of the Ayatollahs to come), as told in the Book of Esther, took place under the rule of the Persian King Xerxes nearly a century later. And Nehemiah oversaw the re-building of Jerusalem’s walls thanks to the support of Xerxes’ successor, Artaxerxes.

‘Persia’ has not always set itself against God’s people Israel.

After the Persian empire was overtaken by Alexander the Great, the region passed from one empire to another until the rise of Islam in the 7^th Century AD. This blotted out the territory’s pagan religious heritage,⁴ consolidating it under the distinctive influence of Shia Islam which has, for the most part, dominated it ever since.

The Making of Modern Iran

Fast forward to the start of the 20^th Century, and the Iranian plateau became a battle-ground as Britain and Russia competed for its oil reserves. After World War I Iran became a sovereign, secular nation, changing its name formally from ‘Persia’ in 1935.

The Islamic Revolution of 1979.Iran fought alongside the Allies against Germany and Russia during World War II, and afterwards entered into a long-term, positive relationship with the USA and Western Europe, exchanging oil for military and economic aid. It was this positive relationship with the West, and Iran’s increasing modernisation and secularisation, however, that fomented deep criticism from Islamic clerics, leading to an Islamist uprising in 1979.

The revolution, led by Ayatollah Khomeini (not to be confused with the current Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khameini), toppled the secular Shah, sieged the American embassy and replaced Western-friendly Iran with the fundamentalist Shia theocracy we see today. Iranian relations with the USA deteriorated rapidly as the US was recast as ‘The Great Satan’ and Israel ‘The Little Satan’. As its relations with the USA were upturned, so Iran’s connections with Russia also reversed – from bad to good. In fact, Iran has received long-term aid and investment from Russia since 1989.

From the 1980s onwards, Iran became involved in seeding anti-Semitic terrorism and has been outspoken about its intent to wipe Israel off the map (cf. Psalm 83:2, 4). It has even erected an audacious countdown clock in central Tehran giving Israel 25 years left to exist,⁵ whilst Iranian officials boasts that they could bring this deadline forward at any time. Last year a senior Iranian military commander threatened that Iran’s ballistic missiles, famously emblazoned with ‘Israel must be wiped off the earth’, could “raze the Zionist regime in less than eight minutes”.⁶

Iran’s positive relationship with the West collapsed after the Islamist uprising of 1979.

Iran’s Nuclear Capabilities

If Iran makes headlines in the West today, however, it is usually because of controversy surrounding its nuclear programme. It began developing nuclear capacity for peaceful purposes in the 1950s with US and Western European help. Following the 1979 revolution, these partnerships collapsed and Iran switched over to Russian expertise.

Soon after 2000, international suspicion was aroused that Iran’s nuclear activity may involve uranium enrichment for weapons. Investigations were followed by sanctions, but no amount of international pressure halted this activity.

Ayatollah Khameini, Iran's current Supreme Leader. See Photo Credits.In 2015, in a deal brokered by Obama, sanctions were eased in return for Iran’s agreement to “redesign, convert and reduce its nuclear facilities” and accept enhanced monitoring from external bodies.⁷ The deal was welcomed by most world leaders, except Israeli PM Netanyahu, who insisted that Iran could not be trusted and should be made to dismantle its nuclear facilities, not simply limit or convert them.

He declared at the time that "Such a deal would not block Iran’s path to the bomb. It would pave it"⁸ and assured the international community that safety would not be guaranteed until Iran’s regional aggression was curtailed and its vow to annihilate Israel rescinded. Indeed, only recently an Iranian official boasted that the country’s nuclear enrichment facilities could be back up and running in five days if the Obama deal is scrapped by President Trump.⁹

Greater Threat Than ISIS

Since the beginning of the 21^st Century, therefore, a fascinating global picture has been emerging. Every day we seem to move closer to the war depicted in Ezekiel 38-39, which prophesies a ‘last days’ alliance between Russia, Iran, Ethiopia, Libya and Turkey coming against Israel and being utterly destroyed by Divine intervention.

Since the so-called ‘Arab spring’ of 2011, many Arab states have experienced instability or descended into civil war – yet Iran has been growing in power, investing in regional power struggles to its own advantage.¹⁰ Meanwhile, Israel has been watching with a wary eye.

Now, Iraq and Lebanon are acknowledged Iranian proxies¹¹ and Syria lies in ruins. The American and European concern to eradicate ISIS will further clear the path for Iran’s ascendancy, with experts warning that this will present a far greater threat to global stability than ISIS ever did.

Every day we seem to move closer to the war depicted in Ezekiel 38-39.

Indeed, there is a growing Iranian presence around Israel’s borders, with the US recently agreeing to allow Iran-sponsored militias within 10km of the Golan Heights.¹² Iran is making no secret of its agenda, its flag joining a host of others on a hill overlooking Israel’s northernmost town, Metulla. Nearby, a sinister poster depicting Ayatollah Khomeini’s face glowering over the Dome of the Rock reads “We are coming” in Hebrew and Arabic.¹³

Meanwhile, strong connections exist between Iran and North Korea, as journalist Melanie Phillips notes: “Iranian scientists and military brass have been reliably tracked to North Korea inspecting or witnessing its nuclear weapons programme development; and…almost certainly Tehran has outsourced some if not much of [its] programme to Pyongyang.”¹⁴ She argues that the current brouhaha with North Korea is actually a ‘dry run’ for Iran, testing out international responses for signs of weakness.

Where Next?

The biblical jigsaw puzzle is on the way to completion, but we are not there yet. Iran still has a complex relationship with Russia, which has its own regional agendas and is still open to working with Israel. Furthermore, the prophesied alliance with Turkey is yet to materialise.

However, the general trend in the region is clear to see: unchecked Iran consolidating its power, investing in strategic military operations and alliances to extend its reach westwards, obsessed with annihilating Israel. With all the fuss about North Korea – which may or may not yet prove to be a red herring – let’s not ignore the word of Scripture being fulfilled before our very eyes.

References

1 Read the full transcript here. 

2 The historical information in this article owes a significant debt to Darrell Young’s 2004 survey of Iranian history, found here.

3 The name ‘Persia’ comes from the Greek ‘Persis’, a Hellenised form of ‘Pars’ (a region in southern Iran), whereas the term ‘Mede’ was used for those who settled in the centre and north of the region.

4 The region’s religious heritage involves a blend of the Zoroastrianism of the Medes and Persians and the Hellenistic religion of the Greeks. But Medes and Persians are mentioned in Acts 2:9 as being present at Pentecost and the giving of the Holy Spirit – and so may well have been among the first Christians. Today, Christians in Iran make up a sizeable minority – though many are secret believers.

5 Iran Sets Up Clock Counting Down to Israel’s Destruction in 2040. United with Israel, 26 June 2017.

6 Iranian commander: We can destroy Israel 'in under 8 minutes'. Times of Israel, 22 May 2016.

7 Iran nuclear deal framework, Wikipedia.

8 Toosi, N and Gass, N. Netanyahu warns of nuclear arms race. Politico, 3 April 2015.

9 Iran could make weapons-grade uranium within 5 days, nuclear chief claims. Jerusalem Post, 23 August 2017.

10 For instance, Iran has been known to fund Shia militias to fight against ISIS (which is Sunni), whilst also funding ISIS terror attacks against civilians in the West. It is now reportedly recruiting ex-ISIS fighters out of Mosul into its own regime.

11 Last week former Israeli defence minister Moshe Ya’alon described Lebanon as “kidnapped by a terrorist organization [i.e. Hezbollah] operated by another country [i.e. Iran], but the reality is that the international community has become used to the world order and does not deal with it”.

12 Winer, S. US to let Iranian-backed militias within 10 km of Golan Heights — report. Times of Israel, 31 August 2017.

13 Frantzmann, S. Iranian flag joins array of enemy symbols planted on Lebanon border. Jerusalem Post, 28 June 2017.

14 Phillips, M. The Iranian symptom of the West's auto-immune disease. 4 September 2017.

Hope in the midst of scandal, shaking and scepticism.

“You are...terminated!” No, this was not a line from Doctor Who and his eternal battle with the Daleks. It was a message from the President of the USA to the head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, given to him whilst he was speaking to his staff.

To British ears this sounds unreal. No British employer would dismiss a member of staff in this peremptory manner. “You’re fired!” only happens on TV shows like The Apprentice. In fact, employment law in Britain protects employees from arbitrary dismissal.

So what’s going on in America? It was known that the FBI were investigating the links between Trump and Russia during the presidential election campaign. Were the FBI getting too close to the truth for President Trump? Political commentators in the USA began immediately to compare this dismissal to when President Nixon did the same a year before the Watergate scandal caused him to resign the presidency.

Even the smallest whiff of a similar scandal is immensely damaging to the President – but it is more than that, it comes at a time when the whole political establishment in Europe and America is sailing in troubled waters that are likely to produce some notable shipwrecks.

France: The People’s Choice?

Just look at what’s happened in France this week! The people have just elected a new president, but nearly half the population either did not vote or spoilt their ballot paper in protest at the choice they were offered. All the candidates from the main parties failed to get popular support in the first round of voting so the choice was between two rank outsiders.

The winner, Emmanuel Macron, only formed his En Marche! party last year. But, Surprise! Surprise! The man who was supposed to be a rank outsider - the populist ‘people’s choice’(especially young people, who have flocked around him) – has been endorsed by the outgoing Labour Party President Hollande and even more emphatically by the former Labour Prime Minister Manuel Valls, who says that the Labour party in France is finished and dead - and he has now joined En Marche!.¹

The whole political establishment in Europe and America is sailing in troubled waters that are likely to produce some notable shipwrecks.

Emmanuel Macron. So, what’s going on? It looks as though the people of France have been fooled by a gigantic con trick. The populist choice, the man who the people have embraced, turns out to be an ex-banker who made a fortune through investment banking, became the Minister for the economy in the outgoing Labour Government and is a stooge of Brussels, an enthusiastic supporter of the EU! How long will it be before the French people wake up and realise that they’ve been conned - the old political elite that has governed the country for decades is still in power!

The USA: Increasing Disillusionment

Is the same thing already happening in the USA? Trump’s 100 days’ honeymoon is over. His election promises have not yet been fulfilled: he hasn’t built his wall and Mexico are not going to pay for it. He has not reformed Obamacare and he’s not even managed to control immigration. The people put their trust in a rich businessman rather than a politician, but will he do any better than the politicians?

We are living in a day of disillusionment. Throughout the Western world, people are expressing dissatisfaction with the ruling elite who have held power for decades. ‘Change’ is in the air. It’s the one thing everyone wants. No one quite knows what it is they do want – they just know what they don’t want: they don’t want what they’ve got!

It’s this air of uncertainty that is hanging over most of the Western nations and can be seen especially in Europe, in America and in Britain, where we are facing a Brexit-driven General Election. But surely Christians should be seeing this as an enormous opportunity! It is an opportunity to present a new and living way! Why are not churches actively leading the way and presenting the way of righteousness, truth and prosperity to the people? Why is there so little evidence of the Gospel in the marketplace?

Declaring the Whole Will of God

We frequently hear from people all over the country who say that in their church they never hear the preacher refer to current affairs or apply the Gospel to the great issues of the day.

No one quite knows what it is they do want – they just know they don’t want what they’ve got! Surely Christians should be seeing this as an enormous opportunity!

I had a Sunday off last month and I went to worship at a local Baptist church, where the Minister preached a message from Ephesians. This was fine - but afterwards I learned that he had been working his way through Ephesians, line by line, for the past two years! However good Ephesians is, it does not give a rounded gospel. Paul, speaking to the Ephesian elders on his last visit to the region said, “I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God” (Acts 20:27, emphasis added).

Surely it is the whole word of God that is needed in the Church today, if we are to understand what is happening in the world around us and what God is requiring of his Church. There are many churches where the preachers never use the Old Testament, so the whole word of God, especially that delivered through the Prophets, is never heard.

Shaking All That Can Be Shaken

Christians will never be able to understand the word of God for today if they are cut off from the Hebraic roots of our faith. In this magazine, for many years, we have been warning that the days were coming when God will shake everything. There’s plenty of evidence of this happening now, in our lifetime.

Many people have said to us that God would never shake the Church because it is the Body of Christ. But surely it is the people, the disciples of Jesus, who are the Body of Christ – not the institutions that we call churches!

It is the whole word of God that is needed in the Church today, if we are to understand what is happening and what God is requiring of us.

In Hebrews 12:26f we are told that it is God’s intention to shake everything that human beings have created, “so that what cannot be shaken may remain” which will prepare the way for the Kingdom of God.

One of the principles that is embedded in the world of nature, part of God’s Creation, is that seeds have to fall into the ground and die before new life can be produced. It may be that the whole of Western civilisation has become so corrupted that all its major social institutions – the economy (banks), society (political parties) and even the denominations that we call ‘churches’ will have to die for genuine new life to spring from them.

Signs of Hope

But in this time when God is shaking the nations, there are also many signs of new life - especially in the vast and rapid growth of the church in China and Indonesia and other places where Christians have been suffering hardship and severe persecution.

Meanwhile, though traditional denominations continue to decline in the West, there are encouraging signs of new life here as well. In Britain we see:

• The churches that are growing are ones where the whole word of God is preached, where worship is lively and prayer is focused and meaningful.
  
• Increasing numbers of believers are meeting in house fellowships for prayer and Bible study.
  
• Many Christians are involved in practical programmes of outreach into the community, such as street pastors, food banks and holiday clubs for children.
  
• Many are also active in a wide range of voluntary organisations seeking to promote Godly values in society.
  

In these times of enormous social change and upheaval, we not only need to note what is happening in the socio-political and economic spheres, but also to note (and celebrate!) what God is doing through his people.

Clifford Hill looks at the spiritual significance of the French Presidential election.

The people of France are between a rock and a hard place. Who should they vote for to be the President of their country?

Many have said that they will spoil their ballot papers in protest against the impossible choice they are being offered. Do they vote for a "reckless rebel" or a "bigoted racist" - as they are described in the French press? But what has happened to create this incredible situation?

The mainline parties of both the left and the right (the Socialists and the Republicans) that have governed France for decades have been firmly rejected by the people. Their candidates for the President of France were decisively defeated last week in the First-Round contest. So two outsiders, Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen, have won through to the final round of voting that takes place next week.

One of them will become the President of France. Macron only formed his political party last year and he has no MPs. Le Pen leads a right-wing party and has only a handful of MPs. Neither could lead an effective Government without negotiating complex political coalitions.

What has caused this political earthquake that is in the process of triggering a social tsunami in Europe?

What is happening in France is of great significance. It is part of the same movement that triggered Brexit in Britain and brought Donald Trump to the White House in the USA – it is a movement that is rising among ordinary people in all the Western nations. It is a grassroots ground swell that is rippling through rural communities and urban populations and is slowly gaining in momentum.

What is happening in France and Britain and the USA has enormous significance for Christians because unless we understand what is happening in our lifetime we cannot be effective in bringing the gospel to an increasingly secular population, or even praying effectively.

Many Christians do not realise that God is still active in his Creation.

We have to understand, not only what is happening among people at a human level, but also what God is doing to work out his purposes in our generation. Many Christians do not realise that God is still active in his Creation and if we do not understand what is happening we could be a hindrance to the Kingdom, or actually find ourselves praying against God’s purposes rather than in line with his will. It is essential to remember that God is shaking the nations in order to expose the work of Satan and prepare the way of the Kingdom (Heb 12:26- 29).

Just take a brief look at what is happening in France.

Emmanuel Macron was the Minister for the Economy in the Socialist Party. At 39 he was the prodigy of President Hollande. Just two days before he formed his new political party he casually informed François Hollande that he was going to Amiens to start a youth movement on 6 April 2016. This was seen by political observers in France as part of Macron’s duplicity, that he deserted his Socialist mentors to pursue his personal ambition for power. He is strongly in favour of the European Union and as an ex-banker it is reported that his social and economic policies favour globalisation and big business corporations which makes him unpopular with ordinary working people.

Marine Le Pen is the leader of the National Front anti-immigration party in France. She has vowed that if she becomes President she will close France’s borders and expel migrants with criminal records and those who are a threat to the national security of France. This, of course, has wide appeal in France due to the number of violent terrorist atrocities that have occurred in recent years. None of the mainline parties have tackled immigration in their policies and neither has Macron. Le Pen says that she will take France out of the Eurozone and will also consider offering a Referendum to the French people on membership of the European Union.

The fact that one of these two rank political outsiders will become President of France is a landmark in European history. It results from the grassroots rejection of the ruling elite who are widely thought to care only for their own interests and ignore the interests and the wishes of the ordinary people. It is a kind of peasant’s revolt, similar to Brexit in Britain and the election of Donald Trump in the USA.

The fact that one of these two rank political outsiders will become President of France is a landmark in European history.

The reason for this revolutionary grassroots movement is not hard to see. The gap between the rich and the poor in the Western industrialised nations has been steadily growing in the last two or three decades through the process of ‘globalisation’ and the immense growth of powerful corporations that have no loyalty to their workers in the Western nations. They care only for making greater profits which they can do through employing cheap labour in developing nations and abandoning their Western roots.

Ordinary working people struggling to make ends meet have noticed the vast salaries paid to company bosses who count their pocket money in millions. The people are seeing what they believe is injustice and corruption in the world economic system and they are saying 'enough is enough' – we will not have these people rule over us any longer!

There is something in our human nature that recognises truth and righteousness as good, and injustice, greed and corruption as being wicked.

French voters demonstrate their patriotism. See Photo Credits.This is something that has happened throughout history – there comes a point where people rise up against what they perceive to be evil; because there is something in our human nature that recognises truth and righteousness as good, and injustice, greed and corruption as being wicked.

What most people do not understand is that this recognition of truth and righteousness is part of the activity of God in human history. We can learn this from the history of Israel. There came a point, in the sixth century BC, when the people were suffering under slavery in Babylon where they recognised the reason why God had removed his cover of protection over Jerusalem and let it be conquered by the Babylonians.

There was a spiritual awakening among the ordinary people that it was their own rejection of God and turning their backs upon his teaching that had resulted in national disaster. The Prophet Isaiah recorded this in the form of a prayer:

For our offences are many in your sight, and our sins testify against us. Our offences are ever with us and we acknowledge our iniquities: rebellion and treachery against the Lord, turning our backs on our God, fomenting oppression and revolt, uttering lies our hearts have conceived. So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter. Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. (Isa 59:12-15)

The only hope of true reform for the people of France is the recognition of how far they have turned away from the Godly heritage of the Christian gospel.

The only hope of true reform for the people of France is the recognition of how far they have turned away from the Godly heritage of the Christian gospel that has been available to them for centuries. Electing a new President, who does not know God and Jesus as Lord and Saviour, will only compound the problems facing the nation. Further embracing the ungodly values of the EU or raising a fence of ‘protectionism’ around the borders of France will not protect them from national disaster. Only ‘repentance and turning’ can do that.

We, the people of Britain facing a general election, and the people of America facing the possibilities of war in the Far East, should take especial note of the warning signs presently hanging over the people of France. We will not escape the shaking of the nations if we fail to take the opportunity of Brexit and the Parliamentary election to return wholeheartedly to God in prayer and repentance.

We have abandoned our national plumb line.

Who used chemical weapons in Syria? Who was responsible for the latest atrocity that killed civilians and children? Who can we believe – Russia? Assad? Iran? Turkey? Where can we obtain independent and reliable news reports? These are just some of the questions that people throughout the Western world are asking.

The USA has answered decisively that Assad is to blame so they have destroyed (allegedly?) the airfield from which the attack was (allegedly?) launched.

The pictures we have seen on TV news reports and in our newspapers, show horrific scenes of children suffering breathing problems from chemical weapons and wounds from bombing, but will we ever know who was responsible for these atrocities? Will we ever know the truth?

No Yardstick for Truth

If we have to judge between ISIS and Assad as to who is telling the truth, we really do have a problem. They are both Muslims and the Islamic religion sanctions the telling of lies if doing so promotes their religion. This makes it extremely difficult in any social relationships in mixed communities. You can never be quite sure which standard of truth is being applied.

Of course, we know that truth has been under attack for centuries – evidenced by Pilate’s famous cynical question at the fake trial of Jesus, “what is truth?” But something extraordinary seems to be happening in our lifetime, and in our nation: it is the deliberate distortion of truth. We hear so many reports of ‘fake news’, or ‘alternative facts’ and it is increasingly difficult to separate out fact from fiction, especially amidst a bombardment of tweets, news flashes, adverts and coded messages.

Something extraordinary seems to be happening in our lifetime, and in our nation: the deliberate distortion of truth.

Communication of the truth becomes increasingly complex, even in ordinary everyday things of life. When we listen to news reports on the radio we can never be sure of the veracity of what is being reported. The basic problem is the lack of agreed standards of truth. Without a yardstick, we cannot measure anything. There was even a report last week saying that the marathon that has been run in different places has been inaccurately measured, thus calling into question the times achieved by different athletes.

Amos Faced the Same Battle

The Prophet Amos faced the same battle for truth in the nation of Israel. People were all making up their own standards and the teaching given by Moses was being ignored. Everyone did as they pleased. The poor came off worst. They were cheated in the market by merchants who used dishonest scales or who brushed a lot of chaff and dust into the bag when they were selling corn to the housewife (Amos 8:5-6).

If a poor housewife went to court trying to get justice against a rich merchant, it would be the rich man who won because the judge was corrupt and accepted a bribe before he gave his decision, so the poor were deprived of justice in the courts (Amos 5:12).

Amos was outraged by this and many other things he saw in the nation such as selling the poor into slavery, a father and a son abusing a girl and drunken behaviour (Amos 2:6-8). He took this to God in prayer and got some very straight answers about judgment coming upon the nation.

Checking the City Walls

Amos was not only a righteous man but he was also compassionate and he pleaded with God to have mercy on the people. He had several revelations of what God was going to do and each time he pleaded that this would not happen. Eventually God showed him a picture of a man standing by a wall with a plumb line in his hand and God asked him “What do you see Amos?” “A plumb line,” he replied. Then the Lord said “Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer” (Amos 7:8).

Amos knew that there was no further point in arguing. He had seen the city engineer regularly checking the city walls with a plumb line. They were looking for the wall becoming out of line – out of exact perpendicular. In particular, the engineer had to look for bulges.

Our problem is our lack of agreed standards of truth. Without a yardstick, we cannot measure anything.

The city walls were built with an outer and an inner wall of stone with a gap between. The gap was usually filled with rubble which often also contained household rubbish. It was this rubbish that presented a danger because it could sometimes generate heat which could put pressure upon the outer and inner walls causing them to bulge. The bulge meant that the wall could crack and suddenly fall, leaving the city open to the invasion of enemies.

The engineer had to check for the bulges which indicated that there was corruption inside the wall. When Amos saw this, he got the message that God was communicating to him.

There would come a point when the corruption in the nation would become so strong that family life and harmonious community relationships would all be affected by the lies and injustice of corrupt officials and lawless individuals. If the nation went on ignoring the warning signs of corruption and the cracks in the justice system, in family life and in community relations – the outcome would be disastrous. It would happen without further warning, in an instant when nobody was expecting it.

Message to Britain

The Prophet Isaiah had a similar message:

Because you have rejected this message, relied on oppression and depended on deceit, this sin will become for you like a high wall, cracked and bulging, that collapses suddenly in an instant. It will break in pieces like pottery, shattered so mercilessly that among its pieces not a fragment will be found for taking coals from a hearth or scooping water out of the cistern. (Isa 30:12-14) [emphasis added]

This is a message to Britain today. There have been many warning signs over a number of years of corruption among officials in our nation - in the banking industry, among our politicians, in local government and business as well as in family life and community relationships. The savage beating of a young asylum seeker in Croydon has shocked the nation – that there can be such barbaric cruelty and violence among young people in Britain is horrifying.

If our nation goes on ignoring the warning signs of corruption – the outcome will be sudden and disastrous.

But this is simply evidence of corruption in the nation: the breakdown of family life and the abandonment of teaching truth in our schools. When we ceased to teach the Bible in state schools we abandoned the plumb line of truth. Now we are reaping the inevitable rewards of a lawless generation. But it’s no good blaming the young people – we are all to blame!

The only hope for the future is repentance and turning to the word of God for his truth to be enshrined at the heart of the nation. Jesus promised, “When he, the Spirit of Truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). This should surely be the focal point of prayer among Christians for our leaders, both Church and State!

The new wave of feminism is nothing to do with love, life or liberation.

On Wednesday of next week (8 March), it will be International Women’s Day.

Coinciding with this, some 673 protest marches are being planned in cities around the world – 35 countries have expressed interest so far – and a ‘general strike’ is being called, that women everywhere might express their resentment about inequality by walking out of their jobs and onto the street, placards held high. It’s being called ‘A Day Without a Woman’.

This strike and the marches are the latest in an apparent ‘new wave’ of feminist activism since Trump took the US presidency – though actually it started before this and elsewhere, with protests against gender violence in Argentina and a mass revolt in Poland against a proposed abortion ban.

But, as with the many other increasingly militant manifestations of liberal protest, this new wave of feminist demonstration deserves some closer analysis.

Boycotting What?

So, what is Wednesday’s march all about?

Last month, several prominent female academics and activists introduced ‘A Day Without a Woman’ in The Guardian, as “a day of striking, marching, blocking roads, bridges, and squares, abstaining from domestic, care and sex work, boycotting, calling out misogynistic politicians and companies, striking in educational institutions.”¹

The article presents a stirring call to women to stand up against wage inequalities, job insecurity and male violence. It seems attractive at first – indeed, for many decades the feminist movement has been inviting, even for Christian women. It is hard to argue against recognising the contribution that women make to national economies, or the need to protest against domestic violence.

A new wave of increasingly militant feminist activism is beginning.

However, there is more to it than this. Further down the manifesto, the group ally themselves with a “new, more expansive feminist movement” that not only protests the usual inequalities, but also radically pushes the LGBT agenda and rails against “xenophobic immigration policies”.²

The National Review criticises the planned demonstrations as representing “a standard, vague list of clichéd left-wing hobbyhorses, not a principled protest engaging current policy problems.”³

So what is really going on – and why are these protests being described as more ‘militant’⁴ than ever before?

Behind the Scenes

Co-organisers of Wednesday’s march (the US variant) include Rasmea Yousef Odeh, a convicted Palestinian terrorist who spent 10 years in prison for her part in two bombings of Israeli students, and Angela Davis, former leader of the Communist Party USA and long-time supporter of the violent Black Panther movement. This kind of leadership alone suggests that more is going on here than merely a groundswell of popular concern for the welfare of women.

Despite this, the campaign is being presented in a very positive, accessible light. The website is pleasant to look at (with more than a hint of pink in the colour scheme – surely not!) and encourages women to join a movement happening “In the same spirit of love and liberation that inspired the Women's March” of January.⁵

The problem with this statement is that it’s simply not true; news coverage of the January march made it clear that it was far from loving and liberating – from Madonna’s virulent and vulgar speech to the hate and rejection directed at pro-life women trying to join the proceedings. In fact, it rapidly became clear that only one brand of feminism is welcome in this new ‘movement’: that which accepts ultra-left-wing attitudes towards life and liberty.

There is more going on here than merely a groundswell of popular concern for the welfare of women.

It should come as no surprise, then, that one quarter of the feminist groups that took part in the January march owe some $90 million in funding to ultra-left-wing billionaire George Soros.⁶ Soros, a former Clinton supporter, is well-known for using his fortune to fund groups around the world that promote (among other things) abortion, the destruction of biblical gender roles and relations, and the globalist vision of broken-down national borders, too often by seeding anarchic protests.

Selective Campaigning

Women's march in Washington, January 2017. See Photo Credits.So, despite appearances, these protests are not just popping out of the ground spontaneously, but represent some deeper and more insidious agendas. Meanwhile, back on the surface, the fact that these agendas fail to translate into genuine concern for women is drawing accusations of hypocrisy.

For instance, commentators are lamenting that thousands of women are somehow being mobilised to shout about perceived gender inequalities in the Western world (where women have more freedoms and opportunities than anywhere else on earth) whilst completely ignoring situations of far worse oppression elsewhere (e.g. much of the Middle East, where women are prohibited from walking unaccompanied down a street, for example).

Instead, critics are suggesting, the feminism currently taking to our streets seeks to stir up anger amongst thousands of normal and well-meaning citizens, against vague and easily warped ideas of ‘oppression’, whilst turning a blind eye to genuine issues of real inequality.

In other words, it seems more concerned with fomenting anarchy than with solving real problems.

LGBT Agenda

As such, these marches and protests are not the place to go if you’re looking for a constructive definition of femininity or womanhood. In fact, the entire movement fails to offer a concrete, helpful vision for what being a woman actually means – largely because it isn’t concerned with that.

The Guardian manifesto pitches the movement as “anti-racist, anti-imperialist, anti-heterosexist and anti-neoliberal”⁷ – but this long list of ‘antis’ revealingly leaves out any ‘fors’. The entire movement is negative and destructive - and as such, risks leaving women feeling confused about what they are actually fighting for.

However, a key part of what the campaign is really for is hidden in the term ‘anti-heterosexist’, above. Rather than being about the welfare of all women, regardless of sexual orientation, this campaign is more about pushing LGBT ‘rights’ and challenging heterosexual norms, in the guise of protest against ‘gender oppression’.

The campaign is less about the welfare of all women and more about pushing LGBT rights.

The manifesto deliberately pitches the purposes of Wednesday’s strike and marches as “to mobilize women, including trans women, and all who support them in an international day of struggle”.⁸

This positions the whole movement as part of the much bigger sexual revolution that has been going on since the 1960s, seeking to ‘liberate’ people from the perceived ‘shackles’ of heteronormativity - that is, the established, biblical norms of heterosexual family life. In other words, it is simply the latest manifestation of revolt against the boundaries set by God, in direct rebellion against our Creator.

Don’t be fooled by the use of Donald Trump as a focus for anger and protest on Wednesday. This is not one bit about Trump – it’s about God.

Ugly Anarchy

At the risk of sounding melodramatic, I believe this entire movement is actually satanic in origin, because it involves such clear and orchestrated rebellion against biblical principles. Personally, I am delighted that God made me female – but I am equally passionate about promoting his vision for womanhood (and all that this entails, including femininity, sexuality, marriage, motherhood), not the morally relative vision of postmodern feminism, which is already a long way down a very slippery slope.

Whilst thousands of women are being mobilised by vague talk of ‘inequality’ and ‘injustice’, inspired to march by a confusing mixture of causes, by its fruits shall this new movement be known. Nobody is being ‘liberated’ by the protests, which are increasingly angry, vulgar and violent. They seem to be more of a Trojan horse for anti-establishment anarchy than for genuine democratic protest – the enemy thrashing his tail, as we noted last week.

But the word says “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight!” (Isa 5:20-21).

The latest 'feminist' protests are a Trojan horse for anti-establishment anarchy, not genuine democratic protest.

What Can We Do?

It’s time for Christians everywhere – men and women – to turn to the word and ask God to open our eyes afresh to a positive, scriptural definition of femininity and womanhood (and masculinity and manhood!). It is this biblical vision alone that can offer a living, breathing, soul-quenching alternative to modern feminism.

If you were considering joining the strike on Wednesday (apparently 15 cities and towns in the UK will host a march of some kind), I would urge you to abstain – and perhaps instead to consider hosting some kind of alternative event in the near future, to help others near you explore the Lord’s vision for the two genders.

Let’s also respond to the ‘new wave’ of feminism with a ‘new wave’ of prayer. Today happens to be the Women’s World Day of Prayer, and women (and men) all around the world will be gathering to hold a special service celebrating God’s creation of women and thanking him for his blessings.

Why not use this as a reminder to pray over Wednesday’s marches: that they will fail to foment violence, and actually cause disillusionment amongst women, prompting them to question what they are getting involved with and the kind of vision for gender, sexuality, life and liberty that it promotes. Pray that God will turn the enemy’s plans for good.

References

1 Alcoff, LM, Arruzza, C, Bhattacharya, T et al. Women of America: we're going on strike. Join us so Trump will see our power. The Guardian, 6 February 2017.

2 Ibid.

3 Wilhelm, H. The embarrassing confusion of the 'women's strike'. The National Review, 22 February 2017.

4 See note 1.

5 Women's March website.

6 Soros gave $90m to feminist anti-Trump protest groups. Liberty Headlines, 17 January 2017.

7 See note 1.

8 See note 1.