The 70th Anniversary of the State of Israel

One Day - Two Reactions

In April on the anniversary of the recommencement of the State of Israel the Jerusalem Post reported that ‘While Israeli Jews mark Independence Day with fireworks and barbecues, the flags that sprout everywhere in Jewish areas will be absent from Arab towns, and the thoughts of many there will turn to what they term the “Nakba” (catastrophe) that they associate with Israel’s birth. Part of a third of Israel’s Arab population is comprised of people (and their descendants) who became internally displaced from their villages and towns during the War of Independence.
Some Arab citizens will visit the sites of destroyed villages in the morning before joining in a symbolic “March of Return” in the afternoon. The fact that this year marks 70 years since those events makes it a particularly poignant occasion for introspection and taking stock.’

The same date and occasion produced two different reactions from two diverse groups of people. The same event affected both groups in completely different ways - gladness or grief, delight or dread, pleasure or pain.

Many events in history have produced diverse reactions, especially those that are related to events in the land of Israel. As regular readers of this blog will know one of my aims is to present to people the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Sadly, the gospel often produces the same diverse reaction as events did in Israel last week. The cross, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ while producing immense blessing for those who are prepared to repent and trust Him results in great depression and judgment for those who refuse to acknowledge what was done at Golgotha was for them.

This type of response to the gospel was expected. In 1st Corinthians chapter 1 the Apostle Paul records that 'the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness but to us which are saved it is the power of God'. The same man writing in Romans chapter 1 verse 16 states 'For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth'. The inference being in the latter passage that the God who has the power to save cannot do anything but condemn those who refuse to believe in Lord Jesus Christ.

The same message, which offers to all who are prepared to believe salvation, forgiveness and peace with God when a person refuses to repent results in the opposite. The message of salvation will ultimately be the evidence that God will use to condemn unbelieving individuals on the day of judgement. 

One other passage comes to mind in this respect - 2nd Corinthians chapter 2. At the end of that chapter, the writer is reflecting on the response that people have to the gospel of Jesus Christ and to those who preach the message. He says that to some people we, as God's messenger's, are a sweet savour of Christ. To some people that is the preachers are the fragrance or the smell of death (in other words the feel condemned by what they hear). To others, the fragrance is the fragrance of life, in other words, the gospel liberates them and brings them life through faith in Jesus Christ. 

I wonder which of these two responses to the gospel will be yours?

My prayer is that you might enjoy eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. But sadly the alternative could be that you face eternal judgment because you rejected Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

The choice is yours – please choose wisely.

Convinced about Christ

Why are Christians are so convinced that Jesus Christ is the Son of God? Well you might ask, it's an excellent question.

Our belief is laid on a very solid foundation. First of all we believe in divine revelation not just human discovery. In fact to learn about something outside of our sphere of experience we all accept we need information from a trustworthy source. If you are serious about discovering the truth - check the Bible out. It is a trustworthy source. Read it, check it's sources, speak to those who believe it, look at it 's accuracy in every sphere it touches. There can only be one answer to the question of the origin of a book that was written over one thousand five hundred years by forty different authors, many of whom did not even know each other. The Bible is God's message to mankind.

Secondly check the facts concerning Jesus Christ. There are over three hundred signposts (biblical predictions/prophecies) which point to him. The chances of them all being fulfilled precisely in the life of one person, at the right time, in the right place are mindblowing odds apart from this fact - God planned it and implemented His plan in a person - His Son, Jesus Christ. The Bible predicts the mode of his conception, the place of his birth, his exile into Egypt, the slaughtering of the innocents, the gifts from the magi and lots more.

Finally look at the prediction about the way that Jesus would die. Psalm 22 and Isaiah 52 describe the horrific death of God's Son a cross. Death by crucifixion was unknown when Psalm 22 was written about 1000 years before the death of Jesus but God knew that was the way that His Son would die.

In closing please listen again to the words of the angels who announced the birth of the Lord Jesus 'For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord'. Is he your Saviour? He died 'for our sins'. He suffered 'the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God'. Will you rest by faith on what the Lord Jesus did to save your soul?

Brexit, Politics or Prophecy?

Another week with an amazing amount of goings on in the United Kingdom.  We voted to leave Europe, politically. The immediate result was that the £ plummeted, the FTSE 100 lost significant ground resulting in all round predictions of gloom. 

Then 

The Prime Minister resigned!

But later in the day the £ rallied past February levels, and the FTSE closed on a weekly high: 2.4% up on last Friday, its best performance in 4 months. President Obama decided we wouldn't be at the 'back of the queue' after all and that our 'special relationship' was still strong. The French President confirmed the Le Touquet agreement would stay in place. The President of the European Commission stated Brexit negations would be 'orderly' and stressed the UK would continue to be a 'close partner' of the EU. A big bank denied reports it would shift 2,000 staff overseas. The CBI, vehemently anti-Brexit during the referendum campaign, stated British business was resilient and would adapt. Several countries outside the EU stated they wished to begin bi-lateral trade talks with the UK immediately.

All in all you would be forgiven for wondering what will happen next. Who can sort it? Politically, I think most would agree that there do not seem to be easy answers or statesmen around who have impressive ability to steer us back to better days.

If you read the bible carefully you would not be surprised. The bible predicts wide-ranging changes in the world some of which we could be witnessing at the present time. Many of the things that we are seeing are among the catalogue of changes that are defined in the bible: global changes, increased seismic activity, political upheaval and changes in the social and economic fabric of society.

What is the answer? The answer is found in a person – Jesus Christ. 

The word of God teaches that just as he came to Bethlehem 2016 years ago in fulfillment of ancient predictions so he will come again towards the end of this world’s history. Next time he comes the bible teaches he will come to Jerusalem (check the reference’s in Zechariah 14 and Matthew 24). His first purpose will be to deliver the nation of Israel who by that stage will be surrounded by the armies of the world. As has been the case for many years Israel’s very existence will be threatened. But Jesus the Messiah will come to deliver them and establish his worldwide empire, which will be administrated from Jerusalem. I think that we would all agree that the state of Israel has always been very vulnerable. If the west and in particular America turns against them and the nations of the Middle East have their way they would find it very hard to survive. Ultimately they will survive, as they are key to world history and the nation through which God intended to and still intends to bless the world – though His Son, Jesus Christ.

Before all this happens something else needs to take place. Jesus Christ promised before he died for sin on the cross that he would rise from the dead, go back to heaven and, one day, return to take the Christian church to heaven. If the bible is true and the words of Jesus can be trusted this must take place. You can read about this in the New Testament in John 14.

Think it through. The Bible and the claims of Christianity will ultimately be either proved true or demonstrated to be false. If they are right (and I suggest all the evidence points to this fact) then time is short and the issues we face as individuals are massive. 

We need to seek the Lord while he may be found. Tomorrow could be too late. Call it scaremongering if you like but I believe that the issues are real and the solution is fail proof if we come God’s way. 

Jesus said 'I am the way, the truth and the life no man comes to the Father but by me,' John 14:6

Christianity states 'neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved,' Acts 4:12. 

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