Significant "Signs of the Times"...

The following are excerpts from Signs of the Times, by Gary Kah Hope for the World. I invite you to read all of his enlightening articles, but first read his profile, as he has significant credentials.

"Virtually all of our most powerful leaders, including Tony Blair and George Bush, appear to be falling for the lie that a one-world economic, political and spiritual system will somehow solve our most pressing problems and bring peace. Through their naivety, Satan is tightening his grip on the institutions of this world – including the compromised elements of the church."

..."While in Israel, President Bush also met with Arab leaders at a special summit to promote his Road Map for Peace. This plan, if it remains in tact, will force Israel to give up a large portion of Judea and Samaria, while dividing Jerusalem. The goal of the Bush Administration is to have the plan finalized by November 12th of this year.15 At this point, both Shimon Peres and Ehud Olmert are “on board.” It appears that Israeli citizens are being betrayed by their top two leaders who are prepared to surrender their country to international interests in exchange for a promise of peace."

..."A few weeks after Bush’s trip to Israel he traveled to Rome for what would be his third meeting with Pope Benedict. On Friday, June 13th, Benedict and Bush held 30 minutes of private talks inside a medieval watchtower on the Vatican grounds. ...“Several Italian newspapers cited Vatican sources suggesting that Mr. Bush may be prepared to convert…He has repeatedly made clear his admiration for Benedict and has even claimed to have read some of the pope’s theological books.”19 ...(Jeb Bush, the President’s brother, has already converted to Catholicism.)"

..."Where are all the disturbing events of our day leading us? Ultimately, we know from Scripture (Matt. 24, II Thess. 2, Rev. 19-22, etc.) that Jesus Christ will return in power and majesty to defeat the forces of Satan and establish His reign. What an incredible day that will be! However, I’m afraid that between now and then things are going to “get ugly.”

"I believe, based on Scripture and current world trends, that persecution against the followers of Jesus will soon increase."

..."Therefore, our sacred duty and calling in these last days as we recognize the signs of the times is to stand firm on behalf of the Lord. In I Corinthians 15:58, Paul urges, “…stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” Again in I Corinthians 16:13, Paul emphatically states, “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.”

..."It is better to stand alone in the truth and remain obedient to the Lord than to fall with the majority for the lies of Satan and be subject to everlasting punishment. The prophet Daniel and the three Hebrews stood firm and would not compromise before the king of Babylon. They risked their very lives for the Lord, not knowing if they would be spared. Putting everything on the line in courageous obedience, they believed that no matter what happened their eternity would be secure in Him. They had an enduring trust in the power, goodness, and faithfulness of God; and so must we!"

...“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”
— James 1:12

Read the entire article: Signs of the Times

Amazing Arab Conversion...Must Read!!!

WASHINGTON – When Taysir Saada served as a trained assassin for Yasser Arafat's Fatah organization in the late 1960s, he admits he hated Christians.

If he found a home belonging to followers of Jesus, he would sometimes throw a grenade inside and shoot it up with bursts of machine-gun fire.

He has no idea how many people were killed and wounded in such attacks.

Today a non-uniformed Saada, now known as Tass, patrols the dangerous Hamas-dominated streets of the Gaza Strip – no longer hunting down Christians or bearing arms; the Palestinian-American has traded in his automatic weapons and grenades for the Bible, humanitarian service and apologies to Arab Christians he once persecuted.

His transition from Islamic terrorist to Christian missionary is recounted in a new book, "Once An Arafat Man: The True Story of How a PLO Sniper Found a New Life."

The rest of his story is truly riveting and a testimony to the Grace of God!! Arafat Sniper now Christian

A "Guided" Encounter

As I have found day in and day out, nothing that happens to me is by "chance", it is, rather, by Divine Guidance. Such was the case when searching the internet for anything pertaining to Israel in September 2006. I happened upon an article by Lisa Loden. The particulars escape me now, but her attitude so impressed me that I wrote her via the link provided, which apparently was one used by her church. It was forwarded to her, and she wrote me back as a result. That was two years ago to the month!
Today, when reading an article by Francis Frangipane, I followed a link to another article by Donna Diorio, and clicked on the link to her website, Israel Prayer On it, I found a page with information on Lisa's church founded by her husband, David Loden! Beit Asaph I have provided links to both sites under Friends and Be Informed in the side column as well. Check them out and be blessed!
Please be in prayer now, more than ever, for Israel's land and for Jerusalem, but even more importantly, for the Jews and those who labor to bring the Truth about Yeshua HaMashiach to them.

The Origin of the Name Palestine: Truth is Stranger than Fiction

By Mark Ledbetter

Since the defeat of Israel's third rebellion against Rome in 135 AD the land of Israel has been dubbed "Palestine." It is a name that been perpetuated in both secular and biblical history. Most have assumed that then Emperor Hadrian intentionally renamed the area Palestine to had insult to injury to the Jews. Supposedly, the name Palestine is derived from Israel's ancient arch-enemy, the Philistines.

Present-day Palestinians, especially those living in Gaza, lay hold of this assumption citing ancient history gives them a right to the land, and as descendents of the Philistines they have a legal right to the land, just as Israel stakes their claim on ancient Biblical history. It is interesting to note that, however, that the Philistines as a people group ceased to exist 3000 years ago as they were assimilated by local cultures.

When Palestine Meant Israel

In his article, "When Palestine Meant Israel," (Biblical Archaeology  Review, May/June 2001, Vol 27, No. 3, pp. 42-47), David Jacobson brings some interesting insight into the argument regarding the origin of the name Palestine. In the article, he admits the "phonetic similarity between Palaistine and Peleshet, the Hebrew word for the "land of the Philistines." But that is as far as the comparison goes.

He points out that in the Greek translation of the Old Testament, The Septuagint (or LXX), we find a transliteration of the Hebrew and is rendered Philistieim. So, the question that begs to be asked is, how or why did the name Palaistine (Palestine) become the common reference to the Land of Israel, or 'Eretz Yisrael? The answer is surprising and has interesting implications.

The origin goes back to the story recorded in Genesis 32:22-32 where Jacob wrestled with a "man" (or an angel). After the wrestling match, God gave Jacob a new name, Israel. In verse 25 we read, "When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob's thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him."

Again we read in verse 28, "He said, 'Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed."

In each verse a different word is used to indicate a struggle. In verse 25 the word "wrestle" (Hebrew, 'abaq) and is only found in connection with Jacob's wrestling with the Angel of the Lord. In verse 28, the word "striven" is from the Hebrew sarita, which comes from the root sarah, which means "content." The name Israel is from the compound sarita-el, or Yisra'el (Israel). Again, the Hebrew is found only in connection with Jacob's encounter with the angel (see Hosea 12:4). The emphasis is upon contending, or wrestling with God.

In verse 25, the Greek word used in the LXX for "wrestle" is epalaien, "he wrestled." The Greek for "wrestler" is palaistes. Comparing this with Palaistine

• Palaistes [wrestler]
  
• Palaistine [Palestine]
  

Jacobson makes the following observation: "The striking similarity between the Greek word for 'wrestler' (palaistes) and the name Palaistine – which share seven letters in a row, including a diphthong – is strong evidence of a connection between them." He continues:

Hadrian officially renamed Judea Syria Palaestina after his Roman armies  suppressed the Bar-Kokhba Revolt (the Second Jewish Revolt) in 135 C.E.; this is commonly viewed as a move intended to sever the connection of the Jews to their historical homeland. However, that Jewish writers such as Philo, in particular, and Josephus, who flourished while Judea was still formally in existence, used the name Palestine for the Land of Israel in their Greek works, suggests that this interpretation of history is mistaken. Hadrian's choice of Syria Palaestina may be more correctly seen as a rationalization of the name of the new province, in accordance with its area being far larger than geographical Judea. Instead, Syria Palaestina had an ancient pedigree that was intimately linked with the area of greater Israel.

Important Implications

This conclusion suggests, therefore two important thoughts. One, this position undermines the widely circulated myth that Palestine is derived from the word Philistine. Two, Arab Palestinians are actually claiming to be heirs of Jacob and are Israelites rather than Arabs. Arab Palestinians are a myth! Further, the name Syria Palaestinia almost encompasses the entire land area that God promised to Abraham and his descendants (see Genesis 15:18-21).

Prior to 1948, the British Mandate called for two "Palestines" – Jewish Palestine and Arab Palestine.

Jewish Palestine was a tiny sliver of land while Arab Palestine included present day Jordan. Before there was an Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra, there was the Palestine Symphonic Orchestra. Similarly, before there was The Jerusalem Post, thee was a Palestine Post. Ironically, Syria objected to referring to the name Palestine because it was "too Jewish."

A Pseudo-Palestinian Movement

Who then, are the Palestinians? Initially, Palestinians were the 750,000 Arabs that left their homes in Israel as a result of the Arab invasion in 1948. The departed for three reasons: One, they were warned to flee because their Arab brothers warned them to remove themselves from harm's way when they invaded Israel; two, Arab intellectuals and businessmen left for Europe and America because they felt that the war would be disastrous if the remained; and three, Arabs remaining behind and proved hostile had their homes confiscated and were expelled from the land.

Arabs fleeing to neighboring Arab nations found themselves unwanted and found themselves as refugees. Through the years they were forced to live in squalid conditions in a hostile environment while living among their own. Meanwhile, many of the 650,000 Jews forced from their homes, livelihoods and fortunes in Arab nations found a home in the new State of Israel.

The designation "Palestinian" did not come into vogue until the 1967 Six-Day War. Three years prior to the '67 war, the Palestinian Liberation Organization was formed to liberate "Palestine," which included both Israel and Jordan. Arafat led the Jordanian "Palestinians" in a revolt against the Jordanian government. When defeated, he took his PLO to southern Lebanon (sound familiar) and moved to Israel in the 1980s.

Truth is at times, stranger than fiction.

 
 

Information is taken from Mark Ledbetter's book, The Road Map to Armageddon.

Psalm 83: Conspiracy, Conspirators, and Prayer

Pastor Mark Ledbetter from Sylacauga, Alabama, shared this in August, 2006; it seems even more pertinent today since we have a clearer picture of what is transpiring….

Several years ago, while still serving as pastor in Winfield, AL, I preached a message regarding the prophetic possibilities found in Psalm 83. What I said then seems even more so today. Following is a review and update in light of recent events that are currently taking place:

The Conspiracy, vvs. 1-4

Since the Psalm is ancient, then the intent of Israel's "neighbors" is ancient, as ancient as Ishmael and Esau. The call for Israel to be "wiped" off the landscape of a predominantly Islamic Middle East is something many have witnessed in modern and now post-modern era.

In 1947, Israel's Arab "neighbors" rejected the U.N. declaration establishing a small sliver of land as a home for Israel. Immediately, surrounding Arab nations engaged in a campaign to "push the Jews into the Sea." It was a war of "extermination" that was launched against a heavily out-manned, out-powered, and ill-equipped people that somehow miraculously prevailed. Ben Gurion's declaration of independence in May 1948 held.

Twice repeated has been the call for Israel's destruction, each with the same results. Israel's enemies were remarkably defeated in 1967 and 1973. Now, with the current crisis in Israel, the call for Israel to be removed from the land is a chief focus of Islamic nations.

The Conspirators, vvs. 5-8

It is easy to identify the identity of Israel's enemies in terms of current events: Syria, Lebanon/Hezbollah, Egypt, Jordan, and the Palestinians. This band is enlarged as both Ishmael and Japheth's descendants are united through a common bond – Islam. So, the conspiracy grows in Ezekiel 38 and 39 as Iran makes a stand.

Recently, Iran's Ahamadinejab, has once again called for the Israeli state to be replaced with an Islamic republic – the goal Hamas and Hezbollah have for Israel and Lebanon, respectively. But this time Jordan, Egypt and Turkey failed to object to the inflammatory rhetoric of Ahamadinejab.

Gog and Magog, Tubal, Cush, etc., are all Islamic nations, many are remnants of the former Soviet Empire. Nations under Islamic influence include the southern border of the Mediterranean, or northern Africa, as well as Sudan (Cush) and other African nations. It would be hard for anyone to miss, unless they simply choose to close a blind eye, or be so caught up in the cares of this life that they don't care.

The Prayer, vvs. 9-18

The Psalmist mixes no words regarding how he wants God to respond! He calls for God to respond with force, and by doing so, revealing that the war that Islam proposes is a war against God Himself, and will end in God's ultimate glory. This will be the result in the battle between Jehovah and Allah in Ezekiel 38 & 39.

^"Fill their faces with dishonor, that they may seek Thy name, O LORD. Let them be ashamed and dismayed forever; and let them be humiliated and perish, That they may know that Thou alone, whose name is the LORD, art the Most High over all the earth." (Ps 83:16-18, NAS)

© Mark Ledbetter 2006

Ancient vs Modern Day Israel

I found the following information to be an amazing parallel between the Judges and Kings of ancient Israel vs the Prime Ministers and coming Kings of modern day Israel. Note the numbers in each period of history, the 4th entry in each period, and the final King entries in both periods.

The original source of the material could not located, nor has its accuracy been verified. Use for general informational purposes only.

Don


Beginning of the nation of Israel [1897 BC]

Abram… a great nation… Abraham; for a father of many nations

There were 13 judges:
1) Moses
2) Othniel
3) Ehud
4) Deborah – Only woman
5) Tola
6) Jair
7) Jephthah
8) Ibzan
9) Elon
10) Abdon
11) Samson
12) Eli
13) Samuel

Then came Kings. The first 2 were:
1) Saul (Was a type of anti-christ – did things not unto the Lord)
2) David (Was most after God’s heart – did things unto the Lord)


Modern Israel

First Zionist Congress – Theodore Herzl [1897 AD]

Who has been Prime Minister since then:
1) David Ben-Gurion (1948-1953, 1955-1963)
2) Moshe Sharett (1954-1955)
3) Levi Eshkol (1963-1969)
4) Golda Meir (1969-1974) – Only woman
5) Yitzak Rabin (1974-1977, 1992-1995)
6) Menachem Begin (1977-1983)
7) Yitzak Shamir (1983-1984, 1986-1992)
8) Shimon Perez (1984-1986, 1995-1996)
9) Benjamin Netanyahu (1996-1999)
10) Ehud Barak (1999-2001)
11) Ariel Sharon (2001-2006)
12) Ehud Olmert is acting PM until elections
13) Could this PM could be the one to sign the agreement with the AntiChrist?

The next 2 Kings?
1) The Antichrist (Saul like qualities)
2) Lord Jesus Christ