Israel discussion on Premier Unbelievable show

A few of us were invited to a discussion on Israel on the Premier Radio Unbelievable show with Justin Brieley. This was with Salim Manayer and Lisa Loden, authors of Through my Enemies Eye (Paternoster 2014). This is now online. Is Peace Between Israel and Palestine Possible?

Premier Radio blog debate

There is an interesting Premier Radio blog debate between Jeremy Moodey Terry Boyle on Israel and Dual covenant theology.

Abraham's Blessing - now in and through Jesus Christ

We are told by some leading Christian Zionists that you must bless the State of Israel to be blessed, and if you don't you will be cursed. This seven-fold blessing to Abraham and his descendants is found in Genesis 12. But what is wrong with this analysis?

In effect it is offering a very simplistic view of Scripture, and ignores Paul's interpretation of the blessing. In Galatians 3:14 we are informed that the blessing of Abraham has come upon the Gentiles because of what Christ has done, so that we might receive the promise of the Holy Spirit. This New Testament verse seems very clear to me, so why do Christian Zionists overlook it? Paul further elaborates that Christ is the promised seed of Abraham and the blessing flows through Jesus. Those who are in Jesus become Abraham's seed and off-spring.

The claim that we must bless the State of Israel to be blessed is turning away from sound Christian Reformed teaching. It is turning the gospel into one of works and not one of grace, a grace freely given to those who are obedient to God. It seeks compliance through fear, not love.

It ignores the fact that Jesus has become the universal king of Israel, seated on David's throne (Isaiah 9:7). This well known passage needs no introduction. It reads "Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne   and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and for ever." Is that not clear enough where "The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this."? The kingdom of Israel under the Messiah is to be known as one of justice, righteousness and peace! Scripture knows nothing of a secular Republic of Israel without a king, that rejects the teaching of Jesus, which is what the modern State of Israel is and does.

The belief that divine blessing comes through our thoughts about a modern secular state also overlooks what we are told in the Beatitudes, that: 'blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called son's of God.'

 

Of course our approach to the State of Israel should be one of love, but Israel needs to hear the voice of its prophets and its king if it is to survive and prosper. We see throughout the Old Testament that when Israel ignores the prophet's voice then there follows a period of exile. God never promised to allow Israel to remain in the land whatever they did, but that it was conditional upon obedience to Him. In love we need to call the Jewish people and the State of Israel to turn to their own Messiah, King Jesus (as well as calling Muslims and Arabs to turn to Jesus), so that there might be peace in the land between the divided communities.

Messiah's place - a stone laid in Zion (1 Peter 2:4-9)

It is my belief that all Christians should be new Zionists, in that the Messiah has become central to the life of Zion - the new Zion - in which He is the cornerstone, and we are being built up into a temple of praise, with Him. He was a rejected stone, and yet the chief rock in Zion, that causes some men to stumble, and to others he is a living stone and our hope for life.

The question this passage asks of us is; how can we support a Zionism that does not see the Messiah as being central to the life of Zion, but seeks instead the establishment of Zion apart from Jesus Christ. That is surely to stumble and is to turn away from the living stone. As Peter says (1 Peter 2:4-9), writing to the Jews and Israelites of the diaspora who have come to faith in Jesus.

"Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious,  5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.  6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,

“Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”

 

7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,

“The stone which the builders rejected, Has become the chief cornerstone,”

8 and “A stone of stumbling, And a rock of offense.”

 

They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;  10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy."

Christopher Booker has been deleted from the Sunday Telegraph....

Christopher Booker has been deleted from the Sunday Telegraph....personally I would disagree with some of his theology, but what is the reason for this? You decide...
http://www.eureferendum.com/blogview.aspx?blogno=85113

Manipulating sentiment as a pretext for war...?

This Jewish news comment suggests the Israeli government knew the teenagers were dead, but covered it up to move sentiment towards a war in Gaza....
http://forward.com/articles/201764/how-politics-and-lies-triggered-an-unintended-war/?p=all

Three missing Israeli teenagers found dead...very sad...

This is very sad news, especially for their family and friends
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-28097164

Palestinians suffering in Syria

We hear about the suffering of Palestinians in the Holy Land by those opposed to Zionism. There is a campaign to undermine the Israeli economy in order to force a peace settlement (BDS). But we ought to be even-handed and speak out against the suffering of Palestinians in Arab and Muslim lands. Syria, an ally of Iran, has used barrel bombs against civilians and now is using starvation as a weapon against the Palestinians in a refugee camp.
http://guardianlv.com/2014/03/syria-uses-starvation-as-tactic-against-its-civilians/

Bob Roberts - Gospel of the Kingdom and loving our enemies

Bob Roberts has been criticised for meeting muslims and speaking at the Christ at the Checkpoint conference. But it is worth hearing his message before judging him.
http://vimeo.com/38629114

Understanding Israel - The Church, The Jewish People, and the Struggle for Identity - Coming Soon.

A new book is coming soon. It is heavily revised from Zion's New Name to the point where a new title was considered necessary.

From the back Cover:

This book seeks a biblical approach to the identity of Israel, and grew out of the previous title Zion’s New Name as a heavily revised work. There is polarised opinion between Christian Zionists on one side, and sceptics of the State of Israel on the other. These sceptics are usually accused of holding to Replacement Theology, but this is often rhetorical and fails to address the issues.  Here the aim is to get to the heart of Scripture through a careful analysis of the Prophets and the New Testament. In this sense I am taking a broadly classical Reformed approach, but also seeking to get to the truth of Scripture. I seek to avoid the excessive political activity of both sides of this debate on the left and right.

Scripture reveals clearly that a remnant of Jews continued from the Old to the New Covenant, as evidenced by the 120 in the upper room when the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost. During the first century Jewish believers in the Messiah helped to lay the foundation of the Church, and we should not overlook their hard work and sacrifice for Jesus. Later, the outward Jewish identity of the growing Church was overshadowed as more Gentiles joined, but the Church remained as the called-out remnant of Israel, formed in the Messiah. In this light I discuss the theological themes of remnant and continuity in relation to Israel.

However, we need to remember to express love to the Jewish people and offer regret for their suffering through history. The final great hope is that they will experience a great revival before the Messiah returns, and come to experience the fullness of life in Jesus.

Why do many Christian Zionists undermine the Church? GOD TV

I have blogged about this before. But why do Christian Zionists spend so much time attacking the Christian Church? I can understand a desire to seek peace and security for the State of Israel, who doesn't want that? But Zionism goes further. It must justify Israel's existence spiritually, and this to the detriment of the Christian Church. So Zionist' Christians will travel about taking conferences, go on TV, and attack what they characterise as Replacement Theology.

Now Replacement Theology does exist, and some Reformers have made anti-Semitic comments, and this needs identifying and challenging, but what is attacked in essence is a strawman position. Zionist' Christians then suggest that those who hold to Covenantal Theology are somehow on the edge of anti-Semitism. And this is on popular Christian TV. I have for instance recently watched a video by Ron Matsen, linked with Koinonia House, on GOD TV. http://www.god.tv/playlist/israel.

However, Reformed Covenantal theology is much more nuanced that Zionists would have us believe. So what is set-up and challenged is a misrepresentation of the truth. Christian TV in the UK generally supports Christian Zionism and gives little time to alternatives, although Revelation TV had a good debate with Stephen Sizer and Calvin L.Smith a while ago. But let us have a wider debate about the impact that certain teaching has on the health of the Church. Should we not be building up the Church instead of tearing it down?    

I am in the process of releasing a new book Understanding Israel that looks at the question of identity in relation to Israel. More news on that soon.

No place for offensive Nazi-like salutes in football - Anelka in trouble

Nicolas Anelka has been accused of a Nazi salute, although he defends his actions. This is reported on the BBC website. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25537686

This salute has been popularised amongst a section of Muslims by the French comedian Dieudonne M'bala. The French government minister, Valerie Fourneyro, however is trying to ban use of this symbolic act because of its anti-Semitic overtones. Although in response it is claimed to be anti-Zionist, not anti-Semitic. Fourneyron however wrote  : "Anelka's gesture is a shocking provocation, disgusting. There's no place for anti-Semitism on the football field."

For those of us who wish to challenge Zionism in a rational manner, this sort of salute does not help at all and is objectionable. It does nothing for the Middle East peace process, and nothing for the Palestinian cause. It is deliberately offensive, and any justification is mere window dressing.

Christians in the Middle East need protection

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/10515545/We-will-all-lose-if-Christians-flee-the-Middle-East.html

Telegraph - Israel's supporters are refusing to face facts.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/10478464/Iran-nuclear-deal-ill-informed-friends-of-Israel-are-refusing-to-face-facts.html

Israel demolishes building owned by Catholic Church

http://rt.com/news/israel-palestinian-homes-demolish-323/

My new book - Cracking the Darwin Code - now available on Amazon

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cracking-Darwin-Code-Non-Scientific-Foundations/dp/0956214614/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375558407&sr=8-1&keywords=cracking+the+darwin+code

More persecution of Christians in Syria

The Telegraph reports on the continued persecution of Christians in Syria. This ancient group of people need our prayers.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/10218869/Syrian-Christian-towns-emptied-by-sectarian-violence.html

Last chance for a peaceful two-state solution?

David Blair, writing in the Telegraph, asks if the continued expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank is ultimately undermining the legitimacy of the Israeli state as a Jewish democracy.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/10193945/Now-or-never-for-a-two-state-solution.html

Smith Wigglesworth's Prophecy of 1947

Peter Kirk has been looking for the date and source of the 1947 prophecy of Smith Wigglesworth that spoke of a coming great revival when the Church embraces the Word and Spirit. See: http://www.gentlewisdom.org/3259/is-the-smith-wigglesworth-revival-prophecy-genuine/

He writes a couple of years later in the same thread - 13 March 2013 "I just received a newsletter which quotes this prophecy, in abbreviated form, with the reference “George Stormont: Wigglesworth – a man who walked with God, 1989, p.114″. According to the book description quoted at amazon.com, Stormont was “a personal friend of Smith Wigglesworth”. Further research led me to the relevant page of Stormont’s book at Google Books, in fact p.123 in this edition. The full prophecy is not given in this book, so this cannot be the original source. I wonder if the full prophecy comes from Stormont’s series of tapes ‘SPIRITUAL SECRETS OF THE MAN WHO WALKED WITH GOD – SMITH WIGGLESWORTH.’"

According to George Stormont the prophecy was given a week before his death at a week long crusade and involved two moves of God. The first move involved an emphasis on the work of the Spirit, the second on the Word of God. When these two moves come together there shall be '...the greatest move the Church of Jesus Christ has ever seen.'

We could at this point ask what it means to be commited to the Word of God. Christian Zionists and those who hold to Covenantal theology disagree about certain things in relation to the Church and Israel, as do Christians over the question of creation versus evolution. Perhaps we need to start a debate about what it means to have an emphasis on the Word of God, and what intepretation of Scripture is necessary. 

EU imposes sanctions against the State of Israel

The EU is to impose sanctions against the State of Israel on post-1949 occupied territory. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/169966#.UeUWK9I3CSo

This link was taken from Stephen E.Jones blog where you can read more. Personally speaking I am not convinced that sanctions always do much good because they are often politically motivated and not always directed at establishing true peace, justice and reconcilliation. We shall see what transpires. But we see here the worldy system in the UN putting pressure on Israel to comply with its resolutions. There are also questions about the Mosiac Law and the State of Israel. There is a need to trade fairly with the foreigners who live within the land, the need to respect ancient boundary stones, and whether it is right for people to receive goods from stolen land. Israel is largely secular and disregards the Law of Moses on many social issues, and we should not be naive. We need to remember that God establishes various authorities on earth to bring a semblence of order including the UN.