LaVrai – The Truth

This a rather interesting news piece from an Israeli television program (called HOT TV, I believe) in which the Jews for Jesus campaign in Israel is pretty much branded as a cult (so much of objectivity and fairness). The director of the Israeli chapter and another gentleman are interviewed after the presentation.

I thank GOD for the Christian men and women who put themselves on the frontlines to spread the Good News — Salvation in Christ Jesus alone.

From Challenging Judaism.

The color-coding does serve a purpose. I pray it helps convey the meaning and does not hamper you.

• Tanakh the Holy Scriptures (JPS translation):

The drunkard priest and prophet’s reaction to Isaiah’s reproof about the Day of the LORD -

Isaiah 28:9“To whom would he give instruction? / To whom expound a message? / To those newly weaned from milk, / Just taken away from the breast? /10.That same mutter upon mutter,/ Murmur upon murmur, / Now here, now there!”

11.Truly, as one who speaks to that people in a stammering jargon and an alien tongue 12)is he who declares to them, “This is the resting place, let the weary rest, this is the place of repose.” They refuse to listen. 13To them the word of the LORD is:

“Mutter upon mutter, / Murmur upon murmur, / Now here, now there.” / And so they will march, / But they shall fall backward, / And be injured and snared and captured.

New King James Version:

Jesus praises the Father -

Luke 10:21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit, and said, I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them to babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in Your sight.

Tanakh the Holy Scriptures (JPS translation):

David writes of the LORD -

Psalm 78:1 Give ear, my people, to my teaching, / turn your ear to what I say. / 2)I will expound a theme, / hold forth on the lessons of the past, / things we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us.

New King James Version:

Jesus teaches the people -

Matthew 5: 21“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. …

27″You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ 28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. … 31″It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.

33″Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’ 34But I tell you, Do not swear at all… … 38″You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. … 43″You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.

• New King James Version –

Matthew 13: 10The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” 11He replied, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.

13This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: ” ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 15For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.‘ 16But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

• New King James Version:
  

Jesus Cries Over Jerusalem -

Luke 19:37 Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, 38 saying: “‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!’ Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

… 41 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

As ONE who speaks to that people in a stammering jargon and alien tongue is HE who declares to them… the things that make for your peace.

Keep Psalm 83 in mind as you read these words…

Iran’s hardline president says the fighting in Gaza between Hamas and Israel has shown that it is “not feasible” for what he calls Israel’s “Zionist regime” to continue in the region.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says the fighting in Gaza has been “a great lesson for all,” saying it shows “the absolute defeat and desperation of this (Israeli) regime.”

He says that “even for the supporters of the occupying regime and its leaders, it has become clear that the continuation of the Zionist regime’s life in the region is not feasible.”

Ahmadinejad does not use the word Israel in his comments, made at a Thursday press conference. But opponents of Israel often use the term “Zionist regime” to refer to it. (Source)

Palestinian relatives of Tawfiq Qanan, who was killed in an Israeli air strike, mourn during his funeral in Gaza on Dec. 31, 2008. (Suhaib Salem/Reuters)

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, one of our modern day anti-Christs foretold in the Holy Bible, is of course stoking the fires in the Israeli-Gaza conflict, promising, as usual, that Israel is sure to reach its bitter end. [Yes, Israel is promised to suffer at the hands of those who hate her -- but she won't be annihilated. She will be redeemed.]

… Iran considers Israel its archenemy, and its President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called for the destruction of the Jewish state. Iran also is Hamas’ main backer, though Tehran denies sending weapons to the Islamic militant group that took control of the Gaza Strip in June 2007. (Source)

Ahmadinejad renews calls for Israel’s destruction:

Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said here on Wednesday that Israel is on the verge of collapse, the official IRNA news agency reported.

“Israel has committed war crimes in Gaza which will lead to definite annihilation of the regime,” IRNA quoted Ahmadinejad as saying.

“Tel Aviv regime and its allies should know that this illegitimate regime has reached its end and even the big powers’ support can not prevent its collapse”, he said addressing a crowd in Zahedan, the capital city of Iran’s southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan.

On Tuesday, Ahmadinejad said the ongoing Gaza crisis will lead to Israel’s annihilation. (Source)

And Iran has started calling on volunteers to head to fight against Israel in its attacks on Gaza.

About 3,550 people registered Monday with the Combatant Clergy Society’s Web site. The weeklong online campaign gives volunteers three options on ways they can fight Israel: military, financial and propaganda.

The group, which has considerable political and economic power in Iran, did not provide further details on the program including how it would contact the volunteers or implement the program.

The conservative clerics decided to sign up volunteers after Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issued a religious decree on Sunday that said anyone killed while defending Palestinians in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip against Israeli attacks would be considered a martyr. (Source)

Volunteer fighters, you say? Martyrdom, you say? That could only mean one thing…

Hard-line Iranian student groups have asked the government to authorize volunteers to go carry out suicide bombings in Israel in response to the Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip.

The government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had not responded to the call by Wednesday. Volunteer suicide groups have made similar requests in the past and the government never responded to their calls. The groups’ activities appear to be mainly for propaganda purposes, and there has been no sign of Iranians carrying out suicide attacks in Israel. (Source)

Don’t forget, Iran hangs people, especially Christian converts, for public spectacle everyday. If their leader wants to talk about criminal activity, he should start with himself.

And guess who’s forcing his French nose into the matter and making demands?

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Wednesday he would visit the Middle East early next week to try to restore peace to the region, despite Israel’s rejection of a French initiative for a ceasefire in Gaza.

… France called for 48-hour truce to let in humanitarian aid for Gaza’s 1.5 million residents, but Israel has brushed off the idea as “unrealistic”.

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni is due to meet Sarkozy in Paris on Thursday. A political source in Israel told Reuters Livni would stress that “we do not need ceasefires right now”.

Sarkozy enhanced his international image in August when he swiftly intervened after Russian forces invaded Georgia, brokering a ceasefire between the two sides.

France is anxious for Europe to play a bigger part in the Middle East and Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner persuaded his EU counterparts to attend an emergency meeting on Gaza in Paris late on Tuesday. (Source)

Now tell me this, how is strapping yourself with a vest or whatnot a means of “defending Gaza” or anyone else? These folks hellbent on shedding blood are not looking to defend Palestinian civilians — they are looking to murder innocent people in Israel. They are seeking revenge, not to save the lives of their people.

I also find it ironic that two of the most oppressive, GODless regimes on the planet are calling on Israel to end its Gaza offensive. China, who executes people with no hesitation and persecutes Christians, and Russia — who invaded the Republic of Georgia a couple months with military attacks in the country — are both telling Israel to quit it.

You are left to draw your own conclusions.

Update (12/30/08 – 8:41PM ET): Apparently Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and people with decision-making powers in “key Arab states” are blaming Hamas for the current Israeli counter-attacks, reports Al Jazeera.

Indonesian protesters from Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia hold a demonstration against Israel in front of the U.S. embassy in Jakarta on Dec. 30, 2008. Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, condemned the massive Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip and said it would send cash and medical aid to Palestinian victims. (Adek Berry/APF/Getty Images)

“Explain to me what Hamas was thinking, how you were thinking that the Israelis would respond when you began firing hundreds of Qassam rockets into Israel?”

This is what the News Hour’s Gwen Ifill asked U.N. Palestinian Observer Riyad Mansour during last night’s program. Surprisingly, he didn’t answer the question — the first or second time Ms. Ifill asked him. He also dodged the question about Egypt opening up one of the six closed checkpoints on its border with Gaza. Mr. Mansour appeared to make everything Israel’s responsibility. Gaza’s other neighbor, Egypt, nor the Palestinian Authority should be doing anything but standing by, according to his responses. Hamas is undoubtedly the problem. They have been waging a war against Israel since Israelis withdrew from the region in 2005…forcibly removing any Jewish settlers that remained (Arabs can live in Israel, of course, but Jews cannot live in Gaza…that’s the impression anyway).

If Israel says they will only cease the assaults when Hamas stops firing rockets, why is no Arab nation/leader/politician in the region calling on Hamas to stop?

Please take note of  Mr. Mansour’s double standard when it comes to Palestinians defending themselves… yet Israel is not allowed to and any such act is apparently “criminal.” You can read a transcript or watch the video.

I agree that the fighting should stop and that talking should resume… but if Israel were to immediately stop any attacks, they would be a sitting duck for Hamas and “whoever” is providing them with all of those weapons and teaching them how to use them (I doubt it’s coming from the manual). Both parties need to be reasonable for any possibility of any kind of peace… but one group wants anything but… Hamas doesn’t acknowledge Israel’s right to exist as a state.

And Hamas apparently also thinks the death of innocent Palestinians is worth the cause:

Hamas issued a statement in Gaza City taking responsibility for the rockets. Leaders of Hamas say Israel has no right to exist and condemn Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas as a stooge for conducting peace talks.

“As long as the air strikes and killing go on, our support will widen because people see Hamas resisting the occupation,” Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said in a telephone interview in Gaza. “The number of fatalities is high but our people have been brutally killed before and we remain steadfast.” (Dec. 30, 2008 - Source)

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The Kuwaiti Times also notes that it is Hamas who broke the Egypt-brokered truce between the Palestinian militants and Hamas. The article also notes, as is already well known, Israel gave warning that they would retaliate if the rocket attacks didn’t stop. Hamas is still holding an Israeli soldier hostage — yeah, that helps peace negotiations:

Militants in Hamas-ruled Gaza pounded Israel with rocket and mortar fire yesterday, dimming the chances of a renewed ceasefire between the Jewish state and the Palestinian Islamist group. Gunmen had launched some 60 projectiles into Israel by early afternoon, the largest barrage since before an Egyptian-brokered truce went into effect in and around the besieged Palestinian territory in June. (Dec. 25, 2008 – Source)

***

While Israeli officials speak temperately, making every effort to let Palestinian civilians know they are not targeting them and are sorry for any civilian casualties, Hamas militants, on the other hand, appear only interested in bloodshed. (This was about two days before Israel launched its counter-attack):

But Hamas — which said Wednesday’s rocket fire was in retaliation for the killing of three militants the day before — vowed to step up attacks if Israel responded with strikes against Gaza.

“(Israel) should know that any decision to attack the Gaza Strip will open the gates of hell and we will make you regret your stupidity with tears of blood,” the group’s armed wing the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades said.

“Israel’s stupidity will push us to expand (operations) and put in our line of fire thousands of new Zionists to defend the Palestinian people.” (Dec. 24, 2008 - Source)

***

And here is my favorite — a denial from Hamas about rocket fire into Israel — although the whole world knows this is what they have been doing and they have even claimed responsibility at one point:

“Announcing from time to time that rockets are still fired from Gaza at Israel, is just an untrue claim to justify keeping Gaza Strip border crossing points with Israel closed,” Hamas said in the statement sent to reporters. (Aug. 17, 2008 – Source)

In summary, I don’t approve of bloodshed, but war must happen. That is the world we live in (wars and rumors of wars). Israel, Hamas, the PLO, the United States, England, etc. — no one can broker true everlasting peace in the Middle East but Messiah Jesus of Nazareth. I believe Israel is justified in defending herself — it would seem ridiculous for the leaders to just sit by and do nothing while rockets are being lobbed at their people everyday — all hours of the day. And many would say, well, Hamas is allowed to do the same thing… and that is the web we weave.