2016 was a turbulent and difficult year by most accounts. How can believers position themselves wisely as we move into 2017?

The New Year 2017 started very much as the old year 2016 ended, with the battle for Brexit growing in intensity. The resignation of Sir Ivan Rogers shook the Whitehall political establishment – or so it was reported. But did he jump or was he pushed? Clearly Sir Ivan could not have led Britain's negotiations to leave the EU successfully when he had a clear preference to remain within the European Union.

Sir Tim Barrow, the new British ambassador to the EU. See Photo Credits.In biblical terms, the principle that can be applied to such negotiations was clearly stated by Jesus, "Whoever is not with me is against me" (Matt 12:30). In this instant, it would certainly not have been in Britain's interest to have negotiations led by a man whose heart was not in the task of achieving a successful outcome.

Theresa May moved swiftly to replace him with another career civil servant who has publicly committed himself to Brexit. Sir Tim Barrow was British Ambassador to Russia from 2011 to 2015 and while in Moscow he established his reputation as a keen negotiator who will give support and advice to our politicians in the coming months of talks in Brussels.

Greater Problems to Come

The Brexit battle is by no means over and may be expected to grow even more intense as the date for triggering Article 50 approaches. But there are much greater problems on the horizon for the coming year, with the turmoil in the Middle East increasing by the day and the threat of terrorism right across Europe a constant anxiety.

The good news is that the threat of terrorist attacks in Europe initiated by ISIS may be diminishing now that the border between Syria and Turkey has been closed, due to Turkey's reaction to ongoing ISIS' atrocities against soft civilian targets (such as the New Year attack upon a nightclub in Istanbul).

The Brexit battle is by no means over and may grow more intense as the date for triggering Article 50 approaches.

These attacks have hardened Turkish public opinion and strengthened the military determination to close the long border with Syria. The effect of this is to deny ISIS direct access to the West and reduce its capacity to recruit and to infiltrate its fighters into Europe. But European nations must face the threat of terrorism for some while yet, as unknown numbers of terrorists may have already come in through flows of refugees, in addition to 'home-grown' militants radicalised on European soil.

Trump Incoming

The great unknown in all this, of course, is what the Trump Administration will do in the Middle East. The policy of the Obama Administration has been disastrous. They clearly backed the wrong side in arming the so-called 'moderate' Muslim rebels in the Syrian civil war. This allowed Russia to intervene on behalf of President Assad which has turned the war in his favour. But a negotiated peace is not in sight. The rebels will never agree to Assad remaining in power and he will never agree to their demands.

A further complication is the involvement of the Kurds, who have proved to be a useful ally in fighting ISIS in Syria, but they will never be acceptable in Arab areas due to centuries-old hostility.

Obama's policy has been primarily aimed at destroying ISIS. This led to US acceptance of Russian military intervention and the reversal of its opposition to Assad who is backed by Iran – an implacable enemy of the West whose stated aim is the destruction of Israel.

Will Trump continue this policy, particularly in view of his friendly attitude towards Putin? But Trump has also declared unswerving support for Israel. If he carries through his declared aim of moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv up to Jerusalem, 'the eternal capital of Israel', this could well cause the whole Israeli-Palestinian dispute to explode.

If Trump carries through his declared aim to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the whole Israeli-Palestinian dispute could explode.

UN Resolution 2334US Secretary of State John Kerry, who delivered a blistering speech against Israel in the aftermath of the recent UN vote.

The vote last month in the United Nations Security Council condemning Israel's policy of settlements in disputed territory has highlighted the Arab-Israeli conflict. Obama's refusal to exercise the USA's veto allowed the almost unanimous vote against Israel (see the article by Charles Gardner elsewhere in this issue). The USA's decision was defended in a critical speech by John Kerry a few days later.

Sadly, Britain also voted in condemnation of Israel, once again breaking all the promises we made in the 1920s when we agreed that the whole land from the River Jordan to the Mediterranean Sea would be a Jewish homeland. Winston Churchill was the Colonial Secretary at the time and he stated explicitly that the Arab part of Palestine would be East of the River Jordan in what is now known as 'Jordan' and the west would be Israel. This was officially and formally approved by the League of Nations on 22 July 1921 – the original 'two-state solution'!

There were only 600,000 Arabs living east of the Jordan at that time and they would be peacefully absorbed into Israel, as they are today in northern Israeli towns such as Nazareth where they have Israeli citizenship and vote for Arab MPs in the Israeli Parliament. Churchill stated on 30 March 1921:

It is manifestly right that the scattered Jews should have a national centre and a national home to be reunited, and where else but in Palestine with which for 3,000 years they have been intimately and profoundly associated? We think it will be good for the world, good for the Jews, good for the British Empire, but also good for the Arabs who dwell in Palestine and we intend it to be so; they shall share in the benefits and progress of Zionism.¹

Sadly, Britain also voted in condemnation of Israel in the UN vote at the end of December.

Zechariah 12 on the Horizon?

If Donald Trump carries out his promises to Israel and the USA becomes the first nation to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel established by King David some 3,000 years ago, and the vast injustice that has denied Jews the right to their own land for the past 2,000 years – it may embolden Israel to annex the whole land in accordance with the League of Nations' declaration.

This would no doubt bring strong protests from the Arab nations with the support of all the anti-Semitic nations of the West. This would look very much like the kind of scenario envisaged in Zechariah 12, when all the nations gather against Israel. Jesus himself warned that "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains" (Matt 24:7-8). Jesus also said that "Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled" (Luke 21:24). Are we approaching that time?

The Prayers of Believers Are Vital

Jesus told his disciples "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority" (Acts 1:7) but he also told them to watch and pray - and in particular to discern the signs of the times, so that no-one is caught by surprise.

Despite this warning, 2017 is likely to bring many surprises, not only in the Middle East but also in Europe, as the great shaking of the nations spreads across the face of the earth (in particular opening up cracks in the European Union). But Britain is likely to find the exit from the EU to be easier than expected and, provided the right decisions are made by our politicians, we may expect to see God's blessing upon the nation and the economy faring better than expected.

Jesus told his disciples to watch and pray – and to discern the signs of the times.

Much is dependent upon the prayers of believers – genuine, heartfelt, persistent intercession is the only thing that will truly protect and change the nation in the turbulent days that lie ahead. Will Christians study the word of God and understand the times, so that they know how to pray? And will they commit their time to faithful prayer? The future of the nation depends upon our response.

References

1 Quoted in Fromkin, D, A Peace to End All Peace. Phoenix Press, London, 2003, p519.

Echoes of 1930s as May government betrays Israel.

Theresa May gave an extremely encouraging speech on Monday.

Let's give thanks that, at the close of 2016, Prime Minister Theresa May has made no bones about the fact that she is a keen supporter and ally of Israel, which she has this week called "a remarkable country."¹

On Monday, in a firm speech to the Conservative Friends of Israel, our Prime Minister described Israel as "...a thriving democracy, a beacon of tolerance, an engine of enterprise and an example to the rest of the world for overcoming adversity and defying disadvantages." She waxed lyrical about the shared values and positive relationship between Israel and Britain, emphasising her hopes for an even stronger friendship between the two countries post-Brexit.

Determined to Back Balfour

Crucially, in the face of parliamentary and civic attempts to derail the 2017 Balfour Centenary celebrations and force Britain to apologise for her role in creating the Jewish homeland, the PM staunchly defended the document as "one of the most important letters in history...[which] demonstrates Britain's vital role in creating a homeland for the Jewish people."

As for the centenary celebration, she declared that "it is an anniversary we will be marking with pride." Hopefully that will be a big blow to the anti-Balfour movement!

Resounding 'No!' to BDS

Not only that, but in the same speech she also roundly condemned BDS (the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement) and all attempts to boycott Israeli products and producers. In relation to the extensive economic ties between Britain and Israel (we are Israel's second-largest trading partner), she said in no uncertain terms: "We should celebrate that, we should build on that – and we should condemn any attempt to undermine that through boycotts. I couldn't be clearer: the boycotts, divestment and sanctions movement is wrong, it is unacceptable, and this party and this government will have no truck with those who subscribe to it."

This is a profoundly encouraging position for our national leader to take – and the fact that she is able to speak on behalf of her party and the current government is also very welcome. Having openly stated her support for Israel in September, in a letter to Conservative Friends of Israel's Informed magazine,² we have all waited to see whether or not Theresa May would stand by this position in practice. Now, happily, she confirms our hope that we truly do have a pro-Israel PM!

This is a profoundly encouraing position for our national leaer to take.

Not All Positive...

Whilst thanking God for her bravely positive words (follow the link below for the full text of the speech, which is well worth a read), it is important that we also note those aspects of her speech that were not quite as encouraging – though whether they are indicative of her own personal opinions or simply of politically correct diplomacy is not yet fully known.

For instance, she condemned "illegal" Israeli settlements (i.e. in the West Bank and Gaza), showing clearly that she has not done her legal homework on the issue or fully appreciated the complex history of the region. The PM also clearly stated her support for the so-called 'two-state solution', which is the fashionable answer but a diplomatic dead end as far as Palestine is concerned.

Her celebration of her own efforts to eradicate anti-Semitism by cracking down on 'hate speech' (as much as her position on anti-Semitism should be celebrated) should sound alarm bells for Christians because of the potential for this ideology to be meted out in ways that restrict our freedom to declare the Gospel. Furthermore, it could easily be consolidated on by future governments that may or may not be so friendly towards Israel.

And despite the goods of her recent acceptance of an encouraging international, formal definition of anti-Semitism,³ contributing to global efforts to stem anti-Semitic behaviour and making it easier to prosecute perpetrators in this country, her assertion that "Islamophobia comes from the same wellspring of hatred" as anti-Semitism is worryingly misguided, especially when you consider how wide the 'Islamophobia' net can be flung.

So, we must be realistic at the same time as being thankful. Let us hope that Theresa May is not simply out to take the credit for Britain's role in creating Israel for the sake of securing some good trade deals. If we want to take the credit for our historic successes, you can be sure that God will also hold us responsible for our failings.

In the face of parliamentary and civic attempts to derail the 2017 Balfour Centenary celebrations, Theresa May staunchly defended the document.

Onwards and Upwards!

Neither is this necessarily a sign that Britain is turning back towards Godly beliefs and living. For instance, from this week 3-parent babies will be able to be made in Britain, in a move that bioethicists are already calling 'a slippery slope'.⁴ Also this week, Government-funded LGBT pressure group Educate and Celebrate have published a guidebook advising against the use of the terms 'boys' and 'girls' in schools around Britain, in case 'transgender' pupils are offended.⁵

Nevertheless, let's rejoice and praise God at this, the close of 2016, for small mercies. That our national political head is willing – passionately so, it would seem – to affirm and bless Israel on the one hand, and defend Christian freedoms at home on the other, is indeed the grace of God to us in this hour, for it will undoubtedly place Britain on a better spiritual footing for the road ahead.

"I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (Gen 12:3)

"Whoever blesses Israel will be blessed, and whoever curses Israel will be cursed." (Num 24:9)

Make no mistake: the battle for Britain is raging all around us. All our prayer and witnessing efforts are needed – every hand to the plough. But surely this is evidence that it is worth interceding for our leaders, that this is a battle worth fighting - that all is not yet lost, even though there is much still to be done?

References

1 Full text of the PM's speech available here. All further quotes from here.

2 Read the September issue of Informed here.

3 As "language or behaviour that displays hatred towards Jews because they are Jews", including sweeping statements about Israel as a 'Jewish collective'. Quote taken from Theresa May's speech, see note 1.

4 Gallagher, J. Babies made by three people approved in the UK. BBC News, 15 December 2016.

5 Guidebook tells schools not to call children 'girls' and 'boys'. Christian Concern, 13 December 2016.

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.

Time to taste the sweet honey of following Yeshua.

I was looking forward, with some trepidation, to blowing the shofar in front of hundreds of schoolchildren last week. But in the end my wife, who teaches Christianity and the Jewish feasts to primary pupils all across our town, decided she was perfectly capable of thus sounding the trumpet.

And as Jews welcome their New Year festival of Rosh Hashanah in this way, and enjoy the tradition of apples dipped in honey, I feel there is something of an apocalyptic, end time significance about this particular anniversary.

Significant Anniversaries Ahead

It ushers in the year 5777, which has a resonance of its own with three sevens – the latter being the 'perfect' number in biblical terms. And in the Gregorian calendar which most of us follow, we will soon be welcoming 2017, a date of huge relevance to Israel on three counts.

First, it will mark the jubilee, or golden anniversary (50 years), since the Six Day War of 1967 when the Old City of Jerusalem – the holiest property in all Judaism – was restored to Jewish hands for the first time in more than 2,000 years. Some scholars have suggested that this awesome event represented the fulfilment of "the times of the Gentiles" referred to by Yeshua (Jesus) when he said: "Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled" (Luke 21:24).

The new year will also mark 70 years since the historic United Nations vote to recognise Israel when, although Arab states opposed the resolution, the required two-thirds majority was achieved which set the scene for the re-birth of Israel the following year.

The year 5777 will mark and contain several significant anniversaries.

Jesus' Return Close

Bear in mind what Jesus said about the lesson learned from the fig tree, which is symbolic of Israel. He said that when it buds and blossoms at a time when the world is in great upheaval with wars, famines and earthquakes, we would know that his coming is near. Then he said: "This generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened" (Matt 24:34).

In other words, the generation (possibly lasting 70 years, man's allotted lifespan according to Psalm 90:10) witnessing these extraordinary events would live to see "all these things" happening. Could that include his actual return? We cannot be certain, but it's a distinct possibility. And as one born the year after the state of Israel, I find that both hugely exciting as well as rather scary.

The Zionist Hope

But neither of these hugely historic anniversaries would have been possible without Britain's Balfour Declaration of 1917, which effectively cleared the path for Israel's restoration. The centenary of this crucial milestone in the Jews' long journey home is in danger of being lost in the mists of political correctness, but it needs to be celebrated with gusto. It may not be as topical as our current Brexit endeavours, but it is also something for which Britain can be justly proud.

It amounted to a British government promise, from Foreign Secretary Lord Arthur James Balfour, to do all in its power to facilitate the creation of a homeland in Palestine (as the region was then known) for the Jewish people. And it came about largely through the efforts of 19th Century evangelical Christians, allied to the rise of Zionism under Theodor Herzl. When all is said and done, it was the preachers and politicians who knew their Bible – and the God of the Bible – who undoubtedly most influenced the government of the day. They clearly saw that it was our duty as a Christian nation to love and support the Jews, and to facilitate their return to their ancient homeland.

The preachers and politicians of the 19th Century knew their Bible – and with God, influenced the government of the day.

They also knew – and this was crucial to their support – that it wasn't just about land, but about the Lord; that though the Bible clearly speaks of a restoration of Israel from every corner of the globe, such restoration would precede their national return to the God of Israel, the Father of the Jewish Messiah, Jesus Christ, which would in turn usher in our Lord's Second Coming. Ezekiel prophesied: "I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land...And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws" (Ezek 36:24-27).

It was this truth, above all, that drove our British forefathers to pray, proclaim and work towards fulfilment of the Zionist dream.

God is Seeking a Bride

God is seeking a Bride with whom he wishes to rendezvous back in their ancient land where he first 'courted' her. There she learnt to walk in his ways and the prophets tried, often in vain, to encourage faithfulness to the one true God.

When the Balfour promise was made back in November 1917, the Holy Land still belonged to the Turkish Ottoman Empire, which had ruled the region for 400 years. But within weeks it was in British hands, which handed on a plate the opportunity for us to make good our pledge.

However, because we reneged on many of our promises and dealt treacherously with the Jews as we made repeated concessions in a bid to appease Arab demands, it took another three decades – and the death of millions at the hands of the Nazis – before the founding fathers were finally in a position to re-create the state of Israel.

The Zionist dream is not just about Jews returning to the Land. It heralds their prophesied return to the Lord and – ultimately – his return to the Earth.

Please forgive us, Israel, and in the meantime rejoice that even without our help in more recent times – though certainly with God's help – you have come this far.

May God's love surround you at this special time and cause you to know the fear of the Lord and his decrees, which are "sweeter than honey" (Ps 19:10).

In this beautiful psalm of King David, we see how much he loves the law, the statutes, the precepts and the commands of the Lord. "They are more precious than gold...and sweeter than honey." And all of this is perfectly fulfilled in Yeshua, who told the crowds on the Mount of Beautitudes at Capernaum: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law and the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them" (Matt 5:17).