A Word to the Wise

A response to the widening unrest across the Middle East

Events unfolding in Egypt on February 11th have been welcomed all over the world as they should be. The young, but leaderless, people of Egypt have demanded a true democratic form of government with all the freedoms that other nations, embracing this form of governance, enjoy. Having lived for thirty years under the heel of dictatorial rule they deserve it as do all the other peoples of the region.

However, once the euphoria of Mubarak’s departure has died down the real process in this regard will begin to unfold and it is not a given that real democracy will replace the fallen rule of the Mubarak regime. Waiting in the wings, as we all know, are jihadist Islamic groups that want to seize power and move the wider region toward their goal and dream of a new Caliphate!

The Muslim Brotherhood are shrewd operators and will not immediately seize power. They will, for western political consumption, assume an influential role, and indeed a strong one, in the emerging Egyptian government. Thereafter, by a process of stealth and intrigue, they will slowly usurp power and steer the nation toward sharia law. All the while they will pursue and encourage a hostile relationship toward Israel. It is to be noted that while it was young people that called for democracy and spearheaded the revolution it is not to be taken for granted that they are well disposed toward Israel.

If the banners in Revolution Square say anything it was that Israel is as hated as Mubarak was!

All of this has emboldened two groups:

First; the one that is looking for greater freedom in the Middle East in that young people all over the region in countries like Jordan, Syria, Yemen, Iran, the gulf states and elsewhere may attempt an Egyptian styled revolution. However, being without identifiable and proven leadership they will most likely win some concessions but in the end fail because these nations have watched and learned from what happened in Egypt and will no doubt use force immediately to put down a revolt.

The second group is the radical jihadist alliance, incorporating many factions but mainly Hamas, Hezbollah, Al Qaida, and of course the Muslim Brotherhood. These will ally themselves with Iran and already have and seek to take advantage of the present upheavals to strengthen and arm themselves and thereby prepare for war with Israel. They have already given notice of this! Truly the Middle East is on the brink of boiling over!

It is thus madness to expect Israel to push forward with a two state peace process and yet I hear the friends of Israel and even Israelis expressing this point of view. Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, is a weak ineffectual leader and his remaining sphere of influence could fall, at any time, to the hegemony and control of Hamas. For the so-called "friends of Israel" to get up, time and time again, to express support for a two state solution to the conflict is irresponsible. This politically correct game has to end and must end now! Maybe a few years ago it had a glimmer of hope but today it is not feasible by any stretch of the imagination and those who desire Israel’s best interests had better reassess their position.

The question then has to be asked,” In what way do we hope to stand by Israel?” If sanity is not brought to the table all our efforts at being an effective lobbying force on her behalf, in all forums, will fail and come to nothing. Events in the Middle East will “march on” without us.

In some respects the unfolding events in Egypt must then be seen in the light of what I call “The Turkish Principle.” Turkey, a long time ally of Israel, became more Islamic leaning as time went by. Erdogan, the present leader of that country, was once imprisoned for Islamic radicalism. His world-view was incompatible with being an ally of Israel and he thus needed an excuse to break this alliance and get out of it. The now infamous “Flotilla Incident” became his “legitimate” out and he used it to full advantage. Thereafter, and very quickly, he allied himself with Iran.

This principle is unfolding in the Lebanon and it will in Egypt, possibly Jordan and elsewhere. This then effectively “tightens the noose around” Israel and if she concedes more territory to a weak Holocaust denier like Mahmoud Abbas she will greatly endanger her security.

In the Middle East so far, as in Gaza, democratic elections consist of one man, one vote, one time! One doesn’t have to be a rocket scientist to understand the danger that Israel is in. Hamas is biding its time as all the events around it are serving its interests. A new government in Egypt will, most probably within a reasonable space of time, lift the blockade on Gaza for humanitarian reasons, of course, and arms from Iran will begin to flow again and the West Bank will be infiltrated and destabilized by radicals and probably already is!

Only someone completely ignorant of the events on the ground will advocate a two state solution to the Israeli/Palestinian impasse’. The Middle East is changing rapidly and until the “fog has cleared” the oft quoted cliché’ of two democratic states living side-by-side in peace and security should be abandoned. It is an idea that now has no significance and those who “peddle” it in the name of being true friends of Israel should drop it.

It is also high time that the fear of God should take hold of us. Israel’s modern day restoration has happened against the tide of history because it enjoys biblical significance and God’s favor. The God of the Bible watches over Israel day and night and is deeply involved in her well being. Indeed He warns the world not to divide the land He bequeathed to Israel. To disregard this great purpose and warning of God is foolishness as we are dealing with His ancient people who have faced this exact type of conflict time and time again in their long journey spanning some four thousand years. Israel is the vehicle of world redemption and has given birth to a moral code that has made much of the world great and she has birthed and gifted to the world the greatest and most loved Man that ever lived.

We who claim to love her and stand by her should be careful, yes very careful, lest we find ourselves in conflict with the God of Heaven!

Malcolm Hedding

Crisis in the Middle East

Egypt, but for brief moments in history, has always been a great antagonist of the people of Israel. This saga really began some 1700 years before Christ when Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, was wrongly accused and left to rot in an Egyptian jail. If it were not for God’s supernatural deliverance he would have perished there! His rise to power was phenomenal as was his leadership skills. He not only saved Egypt from starvation but he delivered his family and the known world as well and thereby guaranteed the existence of the Jewish people and the Messianic line of descent. If it were not for God’s supernatural deliverance Israel would have perished!

As time went by a Pharaoh arose “who knew not Joseph” and literally enslaved the Jewish people, murdered their babies and threatened the nation with extinction. God went before them and provided a deliverer in the person of Moses. He brought Israel out of Egypt with great signs and wonders by his hands. If it were not for God’s supernatural deliverance Israel would have perished!

When the children of Israel got to the Red Sea the Egyptians had them cornered. There was nowhere to go and so, once again, by a miracle, in response to Moses outstretched arm, the sea parted and Israel escaped unharmed on dry land. If it were not for God’s supernatural deliverance Israel would have perished at the hands of the Egyptians!

Throughout history, up until the present day, Egypt has resolutely set itself against the purpose of God concerning the Jews and has tried, time and time again, to destroy them. In 1967 the now famous Six Day War of June broke out. Abdul Nasser of Egypt, with overwhelming military strength and backed by Russia, sought again to destroy Israel and the Jewish people. Once again a miracle of God happened and Nasser’s army was not just defeated but it was humiliated by the Israeli Defense Force, as were the other Arab armies that attacked Israel. Israel’s victory was breathtaking and stunning. Actually, if it were not for God’s supernatural deliverance she would have perished!

The same was true of 1973 when, emboldened by Russia, again, and by various allies in the Middle East, Egypt attacked Israel on its holiest day of the year, Yom Kippur. (The great Day of Atonement) The surprise factor was complete and devastating. Even some of Golda Meir’s Generals and advisors thought that the “game was over.” But they were wrong. Israel snatched victory from the jaws of defeat and survived. If it were not for God’s supernatural deliverance Israel would have perished!

Since 1978 and the Camp David Accords peace has characterized the relationship between Israel and Egypt. Ambassadors have been exchanged and even tourism has flourished between the two countries, albeit mainly because Israelis have gone to visit Egypt! This peace, though shaking the Arab world, broadened out in time, to include Jordan. Sadly though, both nations are not ruled democratically thus leaving room for discontent and anger to arise and boil over. They are dictatorships and thus requiring a heavy hand to suppress resistance and opposition. This in turn breeds radicals and these have mushroomed in the form of the Muslim Brotherhood and other groups opposed to the regime. The “main street” is filled with anger. Mubarak’s relationship with Israel has been fully exploited thereby turning him into a traitor for some and gathering public sentiment against him.

Now this anger against the regime has erupted and threatens to engulf Jordan and possibly even the Lebanon. Even though the opposition to Mubarak’s government is driven, to some degree, by a more secular component of society, it does increasingly include the Muslim Brotherhood whose leaders were in league with Bin Laden when he attacked New York on 9/11. Sadly, all the reports coming out of Egypt confirm our worse fears and that is, that many demonstrators are filled with rage against Israel and therefore, on this question, they agree with the goals and vision of the Muslim Brotherhood. They in turn are in league with Iran and together desire the total destruction of Israel.

It is now a matter of time before President Mubarak falls from power and he will be replaced with populist leaders and a regime that, more than likely, will be more democratic but undoubtedly more hostile to Israel. With the passing of time we could see the Egyptian Embassy closed in Tel Aviv and Egypt returning to its age old position of hostility and antagonism. This in turn means that Israel will truly be encircled by a state sponsored terror network that will have the means to engulf it. If it were not for God’s supernatural deliverance Israel will perish!

Though biblical scholars are pondering what all this upheaval means, it is true that the God we serve “watches over Israel day and night”. However, the Prophet Ezekiel envisages a day that has yet to arrive, when an alliance of Middle East nations will attempt, one last time, to destroy Israel and remove the Jews finally and forever from the land of promise. (See Ezekiel 36-39) Egypt will be among them! In Ezekiel’s time nation states were not so well defined as we have them today and so thus, when the Prophet speaks of Ethiopia, Put and Libya he is talking about the whole region of Northern Africa. This region, in concert with many other nations, will swoop down upon Israel to destroy her. Israel will be overwhelmed and helpless! But the God of Israel will step in again and deliver her by amazing judgments that will leave the world astonished. If it were not for God’s supernatural deliverance Israel will perish!

All this is to say pray, yes as never before because the picture rapidly developing in the Middle East today is approximating more and more to the picture painted by Ezekiel and indeed the other Prophets including Daniel and Zechariah. At the very least the stage is being set and those who know their God will see it and “do exploits.” But, it will take commitment and determination because following after the heart of God will always cost everything. Prayer, Paul reminds us, is hard work. (Colossians 4:12)

Actually, if it were not for God’s supernatural deliverance we would all perish because Jesus said, “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy and to escape these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:36) Makes one think doesn’t it?

However, this is not the end of the story. Egypt is destined for glory! She gave shelter to the Christ child and thus preserved his life. (Matthew 2:13-15) She historically attacked the Messianic line but in the end gave protection to the Messiah. God has not forgotten this and thus, in the end, in the Messianic age, she will be united gloriously with Israel and Assyria and become a highway of blessing! (Isaiah 19:18-25) If it were not for the grace of God we would all perish!

Malcolm Hedding

The Signs of the Times

Jesus warned that, just prior to His return, cataclysmic upheavals would take place in the world that would defy human explanation and strike fear into the hearts of men. In just the last few weeks our eyes have witnessed a rampaging fire in the Carmel heights of Israel, snow storms in Europe and the USA never witnessed before, rain storms and flooding in Australia on a scale that boggles the mind and the weird death of thousands upon thousands of fish and birds in the USA and South America.

When one adds to this picture the wholesale murder of Christians throughout the Muslim world and in Africa plus the rise of anti-Semitism and the hatred of Israel in all international spheres then the words of Jesus become more important and most worthy of our careful consideration. No wonder He said that we are to watch and pray and, more important still, be ready for His sudden appearing.

Nations buckling under huge mountains of debt coupled with nuclear proliferation add to the dangers of an unstable global situation not to mention the wars that continue to rage in Iraq and Afghanistan. Anxiety levels are increasing everywhere! World leaders are void of real answers and their political theories have proved to be bankrupt. No wonder they are now openly calling for a one world government, a new global currency and human controls never imagined or seen before. As things get worse the masses, longing for safety, will join this call thinking that their only way out of the present distress will be totalitarianism with its promise of peace and order.

Freedom, as we know it, will become a thing of the past and a brave new one world order will arise totally transforming the present social, political and economic order. All of this will be hailed as progress and another step forward in humankind’s evolutionary development!

Naturally, giving leadership to this new globalist regime will be a dynamic, benevolent and “wise” leader such as the world has never seen but certainly longed for. Absolute obedience will be given to him by universal decree and those who fail to surrender and obey him will be removed from society under the charge of being enemies of the global order. Celebrations will everywhere abound and a new one world religious system will be established. The Bible, once the world’s most loved and read book will be banned!

With every passing day this picture is emerging with frightening clarity and what was once only written about by “whistle blowers” is now openly being stated and published without shame. Economic pressure, natural upheavals, wars, nuclear threats coupled with fear and anxiety have enabled the globalists to “show their hand” with increasing brazenness. The followers of Jesus; die everywhere across the Middle East and North Africa, are mocked in nations that once called themselves Christian and are accused of being bigots in many others. Jesus is the problem!

Nevertheless, is it not amazing that His words in Matthew 24 have been fulfilled with pin-point accuracy. He is hated only because He tells the truth and thereby unmasks the wickedness of the human heart. He himself declared that His people would be hated by all peoples because they bare His glorious name. What did He do to these peoples to arouse such hatred and rejection? The answer is simple; He loved them and gave His life for them!

In the end the “signs of the times” will prove to be the only “road map” worth following. The coming new world order will only bring humankind closer to utter destruction. Indeed, Jesus said, “Unless those days be shortened no flesh will be left on the earth.” A serious read of the signs of the end ,as recorded in Matthew 24, will go a long way to reassuring the heart and to reminding it of the things that really matter and which are worthy of standing up for.

Malcolm Hedding

Holy Convocations

Two recent church convocations have come to conclusions that are unbiblical but widely believed in Christian circles. The first was the special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Catholic Bishops. Speaking of Israel’s place among the nations they concluded that, “the Abrahamic Covenant has been annulled.” By doing this they can remove Israel’s divine right to the land of Canaan and to Jerusalem. Naturally, if this be true, then Israel enjoys no biblical significance, her modern day restoration is an accident of history and she takes her place amongst the nations of the earth like any other. God has no more purpose for her than He does for Zambia or Switzerland!

The second convocation was that of the Lausanne Conference of Evangelicals that gathered in Cape Town. They agreed entirely with the Bishops of Rome in that their conference statement noted that, ".....we strongly believe that the separate and privileged place given to Jewish people today or to the modern Israeli state in certain forms of dispensationalism or Christian Zionism, should be challenged, inasmuch as they deny the essential oneness of the people of God in Christ.”

Once again, simply put, this means that for these evangelicals Israel’s modern day restoration enjoys no biblical significance whatsoever. Christians can and should ignore it and move on to more important spiritual things. The Catholic Bishops were at least honest in that they recognized that to hold their position on Israel they have to define the “battle ground.” That is, they must declare the Abrahamic Covenant entirely obsolete and abolished by God Himself. There is just one problem for them in this regard and that is that scripture nowhere says it. It is an argument from silence!

In fact, if anything, the New Testament scriptures everywhere affirm the ongoing efficacy of this covenant even going so far as to declare that it cannot be annulled (Galatians3:17), that it constitutes an example to believers of God’s truthfulness and unswerving faithfulness (Hebrews6:13-20) and that the finished work of Jesus on the cross was to make good its promises (Galatians3:9; 13-14;). Indeed, if we are Christ’s we are “Abraham’s children according to the promise (covenant).” (Galatians3:29)

Moreover, I know of no Christian Zionist who affords a privileged place to Jews or Israel. If anything, the call of God over the Jewish people was never a “privileged place” but a place of servant hood, suffering and rejection for the sake of the world! As a gentile believer in Christ Jesus I would not want their role in history, but truly I have been eternally enriched by it because “salvation is of the Jews”, “we share in their spiritual things” and from them “Christ came who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.”

To assert then that, since Jesus’ coming, the Abrahamic Covenant has been abolished is quite frankly theological ineptitude! The scriptures nowhere support this theory. In fact, if accepted, these convocations are guilty of the very theological position that they claim to be against! That is, they are guilty of being dispensationalists because they endorse the movement of one plan of God to another throughout history. This is classic dispensationalism! We reject dispensationalism in all its forms because there has only and forever been one plan of God for the salvation of the whole world (Revelation13:8). This plan was unveiled and promised in the Abrahamic Covenant which, according to Paul was the first and foundational proclamation of the Gospel (Galatians3:8) The fact that this saving initiative also promised land as an everlasting possession to the Jewish people (Genesis17:8-9) has always “stuck in the throat” of many people and groups. (Nehemiah2:19-20; 4:1-3; 6:1-2)

The fact is all nations are blessed and saved by faith in the finished work of Jesus because of the peculiar servant role that Israel has played out on their behalf. A calling that Paul admits is irrevocable! (Romans11:29) For this role or call to be removed the Abrahamic Covenant has to be removed but, if that ever happens and it will not, God’s decision to save the world also has to be removed! It is worthy of note that, years after Israel’s rejection of Jesus Messianic credentials, the writer of the book of Hebrews holds up the Abrahamic Covenant to wavering believers as an example of God’s faithfulness to his word, character and promises.

The Lausanne Conference and the Catholic Bishops are not only guilty of dispensationalism but of also casting doubt over the character of God. They have thereby disqualified themselves from participating in one of the most remarkable acts of God in history and have failed to “rightly divide” the word of God. One wonders whether the pressure of being politically correct has caused them to do this?

It needs to be borne in mind that the position held by Christian Zionists today was also held by great Christian leaders throughout history including the Wesley’s, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Bishop Ryle of Liverpool, Sir Isaac Newton, the early church leaders as reflected by the documents of the early church and many thousands more.

That we are and all should be concerned about issues of justice and righteousness in the Middle East and elsewhere is a given. We should be committed to the “whole counsel of God” and are. However, I want to know why these church convocations have abandoned the people of South Sudan where two million Christians, in the last decade and more, were killed at the hands of Muslims and why they have said and done nothing about the “forgotten war” in central Africa that has thus far claimed the lives of four million people? Obviously righteousness and justice for them is a matter of “special selection.” Or, are these people left without hope because they are African?

Rev. Malcolm Hedding

The Ongoing Madness

The word most heard now or mentioned in publications concerning Israel is, “Isolation”. The now infamous Flotilla incident, which had more to do with an anti-Israel agenda than with humanitarian aid for the beleaguered residents of Gaza, has empowered the anti-Israel left and enabled them to make increased calls for Israel to be isolated. The enemies of Israel have used this incident to further broaden out their attack against Israel at every level. They are sadly supported by much of the global press and the ever vocal radical political left. As a consequence, labour unions, in many parts of the world, are refusing to off load ships with Israeli products on them and historical Christian Church Movements such as Presbyterians, Anglicans and Lutherans are intensifying their calls for disinvestment in Israel.

This “attack” is so widespread, sustained and sadly effective that the “average Joe” everywhere is buying into it or, because of pressure and intimidation, giving into it. The result is that organizations, like the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem and others, that stand with Israel are being branded as misguided and viewed as suspect.

This is the climate in which we now operate. In short there is a sustained campaign to delegitimize and dismantle Israel and those who defend her are targeted in the same way. However, we are not moved or persuaded by public opinion but by the Word of the living God. We are thus convinced that Israel’s modern day restoration is not a political coincidence but rather evidence of God’s faithfulness to His word and promise made to Abraham some 4000 years ago. We will stand firm in our support of Israel and her right to exist in and enjoy the land that God forever gave her. (Genesis17:7-8) This includes proclaiming that Jerusalem is and should remain the undivided eternal capital of the Jewish people. Israel’s claims in this regard are beyond dispute.

However, the delegitimizing campaign against Israel has brought together radical Muslims and radical leftists in the western democracies. These are very strange bedfellows as Islam’s well documented abuse of women, honour killings, execution of those from its ranks who convert to other religions, and agenda to introduce Sharia Law wherever it gets a foothold are blatant contradictions of the left’s thinking and very public positions. So, why would “the left” turn a blind eye or tolerate such blatant contradictions of their philosophical world-view? The answer is simple; they unite with radical Islam in their hated of Israel and desire to see her removed from the Middle East.

So, what could be at the root of this mad hatred? Only one thing, anti-Semitism! The hatred of things Jewish is an old deadly malady of the human heart that is so intense that it will unite the most unlikely groups and people. This is a disease of choice. It is not a sickness but a deliberate decision to persecute, hound and destroy Jews. It involves people of all stations of life and thus is not a respecter of persons. The new target of those filled with this hatred is the “corporate Jew” or Israel. By this means they disavow ant-Semitism and affirm that their attack against Israel is legitimate because of political concerns. This is the big lie! These people hate all things Jewish, they propagate the age old lies of the Protocols of the Elders Zion and buy into anything that denies the Holocaust and they will not stop until they have achieved their goals.

Their narrative denies history, twists the truth and even denies any Jewish connection to Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. Nevertheless, the liberal left marches hand-in-hand with them! Meanwhile, smelling weakness in the American Administration, Ahmadinejad of Iran has stepped up his war against the Jews by prompting Hezbollah into armed conflict with Israel on her northern border and, on the web, he has initiated a new project that by the use of cartoons denies the Holocaust. The message is clear; the Jews were never exterminated by anybody but now they deserve it! When will the madness stop and who will step up to oppose it?

Shame on the World

The International condemnation of Israel over the interception of the Turkish ship the Mavi Malmara is clearly a case of, “don’t confuse me with facts because my mind is already made up.” Any fair minded person, after viewing the video footage, will concede that Israeli Commandos were definitely not boarding a ship of peaceful activists intent on bringing love and aid to the citizens of Gaza. On the contrary they were well armed individuals with every intention of inflicting bodily harm on the boarding Israeli soldiers who boarded brandishing paint ball guns! It has since emerged that a good number of these so called activists were in fact Islamic jihadists fully prepared to sacrifice their lives for this misguided adventure.

They in fact left statements to this effect with their families and friends and then, as they saw it, went off to wage war against Israel in the real expectation of dying and ascending immediately to paradise! Israel’s interception of the ship in question and indeed of the whole flotilla was perfectly legal given that ships of this nature have been used over the past months and years to attempt to ferry arms to Hamas and Hezbollah. The former has been branded a terrorist organization by the international community and the on going blockade of Gaza is in fact an international operation supported by Egypt and the USA.

Once again the radical left, mainly in Europe, and Muslims extremists have linked hands in order to recklessly stage a publicity stunt that had little to do with delivering aid to Gaza. Not only did this misguided adventure cost lives but it has exposed the anti-Semitic agenda of those who gave themselves to it. The rush of states like Turkey and the wider world, including the United Nations, to judge and condemn Israel before the real facts came out was little short of pathetic. Once again blind arrogance and hatred triumphed over reason.

Israel did what was right and indeed what every self respecting democracy would do in defense of its civilians and sovereignty. The failure then of the Western Democracies to stand up in defense of a more measured approach based on all the facts is evidence of the degree to which they have given in to the radical voices of hatred in their countries. Appeasement of these voices is a highway to disaster and it is slowly but surely eroding the freedoms that were won, especially in Europe, some sixty years ago, by the spilling of much blood. The winds of change are indeed blowing but if the West is not careful it will reap the whirlwind!

The Prime Minister of Israel was thus right when he accused the international community of double standards and of losing its way in terms of understanding the difference between good and evil. This hypocrisy is no more evident than in the attack by North Korea against a South Korean frigate which resulted in the death of forty-five South Korean sailors. Where was the condemnation, protests and outrage at this clear act of unprovoked aggression? No, all of this has been reserved for Israel who is locked in a life and death struggle with an opponent in Gaza that unashamedly calls for and works for her total destruction. An opponent that, without shame, has launched some 10,000 missiles at the Israeli civilian population in recent years.

It’s become popular to bash Israel and “play games” with totalitarian regimes in the Middle East including that of Gaza but in the end the truth of what really happened on the Mavi Malmara will and is being revealed for all to see. That is, to those who are not blinded by minds that are already made up! And by the way, in case you were wondering and average of 150 trucks pass from Israel into Gaza every day bringing much needed help to the people there.

Israel and Apartheid

Day by day the anti-Israel alliance, and sadly in collaboration with major church movements mainly from the historical Protestant world, is seeking to make the Apartheid State accusation leveled at Israel stick. There is more to this than meets the eye in that the real intention behind labeling Israel an Apartheid State is to remove altogether the Jewish State. The Apartheid State of South Africa was rightfully dismantled in the late nineteen eighties and early nineties. It was first discredited, then delegitimized and finally dismantled to the joy of the world and the enslaved black majority who had lived under and endured its brutality.

However, to describe Israel in these terms is, quite frankly, immoral and wicked and yet on the university campuses of the Western World this is becoming the popular thing to do. Radical leftist academics and politicians are teaming up with Islamic elements to pursue this goal. They want to equate Israel with the original apartheid state and thus demand that the world do as it did to South Africa; dismantle it! Most of these people know absolutely nothing about Apartheid but the word is extremely powerful since it conjures up notions of hatred, discrimination, brutality, racism and prejudice.

It is quite astonishing to witness how a lie told often enough can eventually be accepted as truth! Most of these people have no knowledge of the “inner workings” of the apartheid regime and couldn’t even tell you the basic facts about it. It’s just a very powerful weapon to use when discharging their hatred of Israel.

Essentially apartheid was a totalitarian system of governance, not unlike those of the Arab world today, where a minority population subjugated and enslaved the overwhelmingly black population. It was ideologically driven and was obsessed with racial superiority. The superior white population could not mingle with or even sit on a bench with the inferior black peoples. Even the education system was “dumbed down” for black people because they were mentally inferior and could not cope with the high levels of learning that whites could embrace. The towns and cities were “white by night” as all “blacks”, as they were called, had to be removed to their shanty towns that served as cheap labour ghettos for the nation. The black people could not vote, own property or even move freely in their own country.

Various instruments of state were used to ruthlessly apply the system of total and complete segregation and these included the police, the military and the judiciary system. In short, it was Aryanism in a new form!

There is absolutely nothing equivalent to this in the dispute that rages between the Palestinians and Israel today. Arabs, Jews, Christians and Palestinians share the same shopping malls, benches, hospitals, theatres, and in many cases, suburbs. The educational institutions do not have a “dumbed down” Arab/Palestinian curriculum and the privilege of voting is given to all. Israel has Arab Members of Knesset and Jews, Arabs and Palestinians often work together on construction sites, in businesses and in hotels etc. Most important of all is the fact that Israel is a democratic state, (not a perfect one), with democratic institutions and is not governed by a totalitarian minority!

It is also important to remember that there never was a Palestinian State in the region as even Jews were called, and registered as, Palestinian in 1948! The British government held mandate over the country and accepted the right of Jews to have a state of their own in what was their ancient homeland. Even the United Nations accepted and voted for this right. When Israel implemented this decision by declaring its existence she was immediately attacked by no less than five Arab countries!

This brings into focus the real nature of this conflict. That is, it has very little to do with politics or peace agreements but everything to do with theology! By this I mean a radical jihadist theology that considers the whole land of Israel and not just the West Bank part of the house of Islam. This theology dictates that all this land must be returned to this house by peaceful, political or violent jihad. So, when the Palestinians had everything they say they want now from 1948 to 1967 they neither protested against the illegal Jordanian occupation of the region nor even remotely demanded a state of their own. They did however found the PLO in 1964 charged with the distinct mandate of destroying the State of Israel. They subsequently launched a terror campaign to prove it and throughout the Oslo peace initiative era refused to remove the infamous “destruction clauses” from their charter!

The same jihadist theology drives Hamas, the Alaksa Brigade, Hezbollah, Ahmadinejad of Iran and all the rest. This has absolutely nothing to do with Apartheid! The state of Israel enjoys a Jewish majority; it is democratic and has demonstrated a willingness to make painful concessions in order to make peace with its neighbors. In all cases it alone paid the real price by giving up land. It even withdrew from Gaza to demonstrate its sincerity in seeking a peaceful resolution to the conflict with the Palestinians. The trauma that the withdrawal brought to the people of Gaza and the wider nation was played out for the entire world to see on the international media. It was not good enough! So, the result was the, “same old, same old”. That is, within a short space of time ten thousand missiles, fired from the vacated territory, rained down on Israel’s civilians in the southern part of the nation. The world said and did very little but Israel is, of course, an apartheid state!

Over the years, and in response to one of the most ambitious peace initiatives in Israel’s short history called Oslo 1, 2, and 3, the Palestinians have opted for violence. This is called “Intifada.” Wave upon wave of suicide bombers attacked Israel from the porous boundary line between the nation and the West Bank. Men, women and children were indiscriminately murdered in buses, restaurants, hotels and shopping malls. To protect herself from these murdering intruders Israel built a barrier fence, which, in some more dangerous areas, becomes a wall. It is not built to segregate people or discriminate against them but to protect its citizens from attack. In this connection it has been highly successful though even Israel admits that it is regrettable. But, what would any other self respecting democratic state do? Nevertheless, the Apartheid accusers love to use the wall to further their accusation.

To presume, after all that Israel has been through in her sixty-two years of statehood, that Israel has no legitimate security concerns is madness. The Palestinians have time and again demonstrated that their strategy has not changed since 1964. In Johannesburg in 1994, after shaking the hand of Yitzhak Rabin on the lawns of the White House near the end of 1993, Yasser Arafat declared as much. Palestinian Media Watch has also repeatedly drawn attention to this fact. The liberal left and their fellow travelers conveniently ignore this fact. No sir, Apartheid is not the issue, the destruction of Israel is. Just this past week, the Syrian based Hamas leader stood shoulder to shoulder with Ahmadinejad of Iran and together they boasted that very soon Israel, in its entirety, would vanish from the map of the world. Theirs is a holy war but for the liberal left it is Apartheid and the truth is their radical positions have made them allies!

This same radical left group espouse democracy but in practice denies it. They will not allow Israeli academics, leaders or politicians to exercise their democratic right to free speech. Their intolerance knows no boundaries as they threaten and trash meetings in educational institutions in western countries that supposedly are there to educate within the context of democratic values. This is exactly what the apartheid thugs of the South African regime did. They violently brought public meetings to an end if anyone opposed their view of the world. They were scared to death that someone might just have a more truthful and compelling argument to theirs. The democratic rights they claim for themselves they deny others.

For sure the Palestinians have suffered and still do but to place the blame entirely at Israel’s door for this is folly. Their failed and corrupt leadership, missed opportunities and willingness to support conflict is also a crucial component in their suffering. Israel is no Apartheid state. She is a democratic state living under the constant threat of annihilation and thus seeking to balance her need to find a lasting peace with her neighbors with that of her security. Her regional experience has taught her that her security and very existence is the number one issue. After all, in all the so called peace plans presented to the region, she is expected to do all the giving with only verbal guarantees of security given by her interlockers. These have never amounted to much!

The truth is the Apartheid accusation is just another smokescreen in the war against Israel! I should know it because I grew up in Apartheid South Africa.

Malcolm Hedding.

Watch this interview of Malcolm dismantling the myth of Israeli Apartheid:



For more on the life and struggle of Malcolm against Apartheid, read this article from Jerusalem Post Christian Edition entitled "Still Fighting Apartheid" by Lela Gilbert.

Understanding Church Movements and their views of Scripture

Church movements throughout the years have all approached the Bible differently and this in turn has greatly impacted their life and practice in the world and relationship to Israel and the Jews. While the following models presented are general in presentation they do nevertheless faithfully define these movements and thereby help us to better understand the theological factors that motivate their actions.

The Aerial View
These movements look at the Bible as if it were a sphere. They see method in its pages and embrace the principle. In other words they see a temple in the Hebrew Scriptures, take the principle, and build churches that are in like fashion divided up into two sections. I.e.: A holy place for the congregation and a holy of holies for the Ministers or Priests. They do the same with candles, incense, vestments and “methods” of the New Testament Scriptures like elders, deacons etc.

1. As regards Jesus death they stress His passion and sacrifice and call on their people to follow His example in sacrificial living etc.
2. As regards eternity there is very little preaching on the reality of hell. The impression is very often left that all people, who live decently, will go to heaven.
3. The dangers in this tradition are lack of true evangelical zeal, compromise and Laodiceanism (the lukewarm church).
4. The Jews are mostly in reflection. That is, their symbols and stories adorn stained glass windows and furnishings.
5. Their historic engagement is in the arena of social issues relating to justice and righteousness on earth.

The Segment View
For folks in this tradition the Bible is indeed like a sphere but they remove a segment of it. They see principles and embrace method. Much like removing a piece of cake from the whole. It is on this segment that they concentrate. They mainly emphasize the book of Acts as a resource and are reactionary to the wider Church in the world. That is, they are “ purists” in that they believe that they are rebuilding a New Testament Church. Their approach to other expressions of the Church is very often summed in one phrase, “Come out of them my people.”

1. As regards the death of Jesus it was a passionate expiation of sin and they spend much time preaching on hell and the consequences of sin.
2. The danger is that very often they are authoritarian in character, have cultic tendencies and fall into the trap of Nicolatianism (power over the laity).
3. For them the Jews are in history. They are a biblically outdated people with no further role to play in world events.
4. The historical engagement of this part of the church has been evangelism, as in the house church movement in the United Kingdom of the 80s and 90s. They are isolationists with a heavy emphasis upon a heavenly kingdom. They sometimes even frown upon Christians who vote in national elections. In short they have abandoned the world and its suffering completely. After all it is passing away!

The Linear View
Christians in this tradition see time and purpose. For them the Bible is like a long line of events, beginning at the Book of Genesis, that are broken up into dispensations of time. History is thus dispensational in that the dispensations of time reflect a different aspect of heavenly purpose. These dispensations of time are ages and there are five of these in sequence. That is, ages of innocence, conscience, law, grace and fulfillment.

Those who hold to this tradition have embraced Darbyism, though many who hold to this view of the Bible wouldn’t know it. In America it is called Scofieldism.

1. As regards the death of Jesus, it is a passionate rescue plan and as a consequence there is much preaching on end time events.
2. The dangers in this tradition are tunnel vision, the devaluation of Biblical truth and very hardened eschatological views. They easily birth false apostles and do not engage the world compassionately.
3. For them the Jews are a prophetic sign and they have no real concern or interest in them other than their capacity to fulfill end time expectations.
4. They engage the world evangelistically with much emphasis on the “lateness of the hour.”

The Legal View
This view sees action and consequence. That is, all have sinned and therefore fall short of the glory of God or; the wage that sin pays is death. The Bible is thus a book of “The Covenant.” Salvation through all of time has only been by grace on the grounds of Jesus Finished work on the cross. The promise of the Son that He would die for the sins of the world was given, before time began, and thus, theologically, He died before the foundation of the world. The various Covenants of the Bible reinforce the Abrahamic Covenant which is God’s great decision to save the world and constitutes the first proclamation of the Gospel. (Galaltians3:8) The God of the Bible thus enters into a relationship with humankind based on legal undertakings that are set out and enforced in the covenants.

1. As regards Jesus death it is a passionate act of propitiation. He, on the cross, satisfied the demands of God’s character that is reflected in the moral or majestic law (Ten Commandments). Jesus was born under the law, lived perfectly under the law, was condemned under the law and died under the law.
2. The dangers are that one’s expression of faith becomes too technical and doctrinal losing warmth, love and compassion. Since this view recognizes the role that Israel plays in God’s plan of world redemption it can produce warped theological views and sometimes Israel can supplant the place that Jesus should occupy in believer’s lives.
3. Jews and Israel occupy a central role in this theological position since they are the custodians of the oracles of God and Gentiles share in their spiritual things.
4. The historical engagement of this part of the Church is seen in philo-Semitism and world evangelism.

Conclusion
This is a general but fairly true definition of Church groups. There is something good and bad in all of them and it is for us to think about them and construct our view accordingly.

I leave you with this challenge.

Malcolm Hedding

The Non-Pentecostal Pentecostals

I travel all over the world and have a world view of the Church that few indeed have. This is particularly true of churches that claim a Pentecostal testimony. Their meetings are up-beat and even dynamic music-wise, but the manifestation of the presence of the Holy Spirit in terms of the congregational gifts of tongues, interpretation of tongues and prophecy is nowhere evident. I fear that we have swapped these things for a dynamic platform and music ministry! To be Pentecostal in name only is not good enough and even to have conferences and “get-togethers” about the subject is not good enough. We need the dramatic “breaking in” of the Spirit in our meetings. There is no substitute! After all, scripture says that the verbal gifts of the Spirit are for the edification and up building of God’s people.

How quickly we have abandoned our heritage for second best. Just thirty years ago a new outpouring of the Spirit took place, all over the world that brought the reality of God back into our meetings and churches by the ecstatic gifts of the Spirit. Who can forget books like, “Nine O’clock in The Morning” by Dennis Bennet and others, like Derek Prince and Michael Harper, who wrote of their encounter with the Holy Spirit and the consequences for their lives and that of their churches?

I well remember sitting in meetings and being overwhelmed with joy as we sang sweet melodies in the Spirit without musical accompaniment. How I long for those days. The presence of God would swell and crash down all around us as we sang in other tongues to the glory of God. Prophetic words would follow and tongues and interpretation. It was electrifying and the outsider and those believers unaccustomed to this would affirm, “Truly God is in your presence!”

Now we sit in bland meetings so well orchestrated that God by His Spirit cannot move, even if He wants to! Professional platform ministry is the order of the day but our lives are left dry and thirsting for life, the life of the Spirit. All the while scripture declares that to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. The truth is we are witnessing what Jesus called Nicolaitanism! That is, power over the laity is exercised to the extent that even the ordered manifestation of the Gifts of the Spirit cannot take place. Much of this is the situation in many Pentecostal Churches!

What happened and who cares? I am often told that it is too difficult to control this phenomenon in congregational meetings. This is not true. The early church had multiple thousands in their meetings and yet the Spirit moved in power. Some big churches during the renewal days of the late sixties and early seventies had “word groups” in their meetings that exercised the Gifts of the Spirit. These were proven individuals who had demonstrated a maturity in this area of ministry. Much like the leaders in the Church at Antioch as recorded in Acts 13. The truth is, we are far too scared to abandon our churches to the moving of the Spirit. It’s a control thing!

May God give us thirsting faith and may He, as a consequence, send renewal again into our lives and congregations. This renewal brings the presence of God into our meetings in a way that nothing else does and can and this in no way devalues the central place that preaching must and should hold in our congregational gatherings. I believe that Jesus is preeminently seen in the proclamation of His word and thus all things should be done “decently and in order”.

Yours for the blessing of the Church,

Malcolm Hedding

Saber Rattling

The Bible affirms that in the spring, kings went out to war (2 Samuel 11:1). This was the “done thing” and thus as spring gave way to the hotter months there was much “saber rattling” in the region as nations prepared to extend their sovereignty or sphere of influence in the earth. Much of the “saber rattling” has to do with testing the perceived enemy …. or “playing on their nerves”. Nothing much has changed in thousands of years!

Just a few days ago, North Korea launched eleven short range missiles with the warning that a long range ballistic one might also be in the works. This, of course, was all “aimed” at the United States of America. With its new President, Barack Obama, it constitutes a game of nerves. When we add to this North Korea’s test explosion of a nuclear device earlier in the year, the “testing process” becomes more acute …. and dangerous.



Then there is Iran, that continues to saber rattle by the use of words and the construction of its nuclear capability. The world in this instance is not sure what to do and, as it hesitates and dithers, Iran is nearing nuclear capability. She already, supposedly, has the delivery system in place! All this is coupled to her constant threats to remove Israel from the map!

This of course requires that Israel do some “saber rattling” just to let Iran know that she will not become a “sitting duck”! So Israel’s air force is preparing for “long haul” strikes and one of Israel’s submarines recently passed through the Suez Canal for the first time in years.

We could go on and talk about America and Russia and of course Pakistan and India. The disputed area of Kashmir keeps these two countries well occupied in the saber rattling business.

Daniel, the Biblical prophet, declared that wars and desolation are determined until the end. The Hebrew prophets have always been proved right. All of this is a sad commentary on human nature. War in itself is a catastrophe but sometimes it is forced upon nations and they have to defend themselves. The Poles, the French, and the Czechs quickly learned this in 1939! Hitler had to be stopped and thus England and the Allies entered the fray. The truth is, Hitler had been saber rattling for years and even documented his intentions in Mein Kampf. No one really listened and took him seriously. Great loss of life was the price the world paid for this folly.

Today Israel faces a similar enemy: Iran. This enemy is self declared and is in league with North Korea and all the other crazies. The problem is that their saber rattling is not merely a game. They are deadly serious and are determined to see through their threats. All the while a new generation of “peaceniks”, who generally deny the existence of evil, are sure that these dictators will listen to reason. Sure!

Thankfully there is a God in Heaven and He watches over Israel day and night. It would be foolish indeed to enter into conflict with Him as He has already published the outcome:

“The Word of the Lord will go forth from Zion and men will learn war no more ….” (Isaiah 2:4).

The Politics of Betrayal

It is nothing short of astonishing to note the “agenda driven” politics of today. It gives lip service to grand ideals, “papers over” the truth in order to distort the reality, and in the end amounts to betrayal. This is the picture that is unfolding before our eyes concerning Israel and her battle for survival. Even her modern day historical narrative is being denied in order to achieve certain global goals. Caught in this “web of intrigue”, the tiny nation of Israel “twists and turns” in order to somehow appease its allies who have now decided that a “two state solution” is the only way forward for her. This in spite of the following:

1. The Road to Oblivion
Israel is now expected to make peace with a Palestinian entity that is presently at war with itself and that does not accept Israel’s right to exist! This is not just true of Hamas but also of Mahmoud Abbas’s West Bank enclave. A Jerusalem Post report dated Monday 1st June noted that in a separate interview with local journalists Abbas reaffirmed his denial of Israel’s existence; his hardline approach on refugees and Jerusalem; and of course his demands that Israel, at least, withdraw to pre-1967 borders.

In Gaza we have much of the same situation only it is less sophisticated and openly struts its stuff! Hamas not only butchered Abbas’s people but effectively turned Gaza into a militant Islamic camp that repeatedly calls for Israel’s destruction. Moreover, like its northern cousin Hezbollah, it is funded and armed by Iran. In reality Israel has fought two proxy wars with Iran in the last two years. Now of course she is expected to open negotiations with these groups in the expectation of ultimately handing over Jerusalem to them! What right thinking western nation would do this and where in history is there a precedent for this nonsense? The allies did this for a brief moment in 1939 when Hitler took over the Rhineland, Austria and the Sudetenland. They realized in the end that their policy of appeasement had encouraged destruction and war when it became Poland’s turn. Five years later with millions of lives lost, they counted the cost of “toying with evil” and turning a blind eye.

It is unthinkable that the west and friends of Israel would now insist on pushing her into the arms of terrorists who desire nothing less than her total removal from the region. This is the road to oblivion.

2. The Road to Democracy
Where in the Middle East region, apart from Israel and the Lebanon, is there an example of democracy? Israel is the stronger of these two and indeed is a shining light of freedom, tolerance, advancement and opportunity for all regardless of race, colour, gender or creed. As a consequence, her contribution to the wider world, in all fields of endeavour, is great and disproportionate to her size. By contrast the Arab/Muslim nations of the region are totalitarian; tolerant of Islam only; suppressing when it comes to women’s rights; and illiterate by world standards!

The same privilege their people enjoy in western nations concerning freedom of religion, they deny to others in their countries. Christians cannot practice their faith openly, build churches and propagate their message! Bibles are in many cases banned but the “Protocols of Zion” are sold openly on the streets from Damascus to Tehran. From their religious and political podiums one only hears calls for Israel’s destruction and incitement to hatred. Their school text books pursue the same message. In short there is no road to democracy as it all but ends at the borders of Israel. The question is, should the west impose democracy on the region? The answer is no! However, it should strongly stand behind Israel and adopt such policies when engaging the non-democratic Muslim/Arab world that do not reward their dictatorships.

3. The Road to Agreement
Where Israel has been able to find a genuine peace partner, agreement has been reached and peace has resulted. Both Egypt and Jordan are examples of this. These agreements were reached because all the parties were exhausted from, and tired of, war. They genuinely wanted peace.

This cannot be said of the Palestinians. Driven by irresponsible leadership they have embarked on one adventure of destruction after another. Even their so-called peace initiatives were pursued with deceit and dishonesty. Palestinian Media Watch and MEMRI have more than proved this by demonstrating time and time again that what was said to western politicians, was denied and reversed when speaking to Arabic-speaking journalists. Even Yasser Arafat, speaking in Johannesburg in 1994, stated that his real intention through the so-called peace agreements under Oslo, etc. was the destruction of Israel. Faced with this fact, western politicians turned a “blind eye” and said it was only rhetoric!

And what of Gaza? Israel pulled out with good intentions and was rewarded with hostility. We all saw it coming except the enlightened politicians of the world, and sadly of Israel, who knew better. It begs the question, why is the obvious not seen by the so-called knowledgeable elite? More important still, why is Israel being pushed into the arms of Hamas? What other nation would do so in similar circumstances?

The road to agreement must begin with the cessation of violence, the recognition of Israel’s right to exist and the genuine desire for peace. Anything short of this is madness but the madness continues!

4. The Road to Peace
Israel has fully demonstrated her desire for peace and willingness to make peace where all parties share the same desire. It is almost unbelievable that after 61 years of statehood Israel is yet to be recognized as an existing state by the Palestinian leadership. Both charters, that is of Hamas and the PLO (the backbone of the PA), continue to call for her destruction.

Moreover, the Palestinian Authority and Hamas are engaged in a violent power struggle and they have demonstrated this. When Israel makes concessions she is rewarded with violence. This happened in September of 2000 and after the Gaza pullout of 2005. In addition, behind the conflict is a radical Islamic theology that denies that Israel can exist on what was once the Dar Al Salem (House of Islamic Peace).

Until these realities are firmly dealt with by the international community, there cannot be and should not be a road to peace. A two state solution is unthinkable as it will result in more of the same. That is, more violence and renewed assaults against the Jewish state. Houses with weak foundations always collapse. The same is true of the House of Peace. If the foundations are not right the house will fall with unnecessary loss of life. Gaza proved this as did the negotiations under Oslo 1, 2 and 3. They failed because the foundations that should lead to true peace were not firmly put in place. In fact they were knowingly ignored. When this happens once it can be excused but when it happens repeatedly, it amounts to stupidity! Or, is there another agenda behind the stupidity?

All this is not to say that there should be no road to peace. There should but it must be properly built. Israel has time and again stated that she has no desire to rule over the Palestinians. Her actions have, I believe, proved this. However, if your perceived peace partner continuously denies your existence and calls for your destruction, then the equation changes. To move forward in these circumstances is the road to national suicide – something that Ahmadinejad continuously calls for!

Finally, it must be noted that Israel’s existence today is not because of the Holocaust. The Holocaust only proved what Herzl believed and that is that the Jews would not be safe unless they had a state of their own. His initiative to found a Jewish State called Israel began in the late 19th century (1897), some forty-five years before the Holocaust. The early 20th century saw the resettlement of what was then Palestine by Jews. At that time even Jews were called Palestinians!

The Jewish people have an unbroken 3,000 year history with the region and with Jerusalem. In fact, their first father, Abraham, crossed into the region 4,000 years ago. Their existence is remarkable, their achievements amazing and their book, the Bible, is enlightening. This book warns the nations against dividing the land (Joel 3:1-3), probably because underlying such endeavours was hostility with destruction in mind, and not sincerity.

Has anything changed?

Global Hypocrisy and Selective Morality

As I write the global media has announced that the civil war in Sri Lanka is over. Well this is good news but one cannot help but wonder why there were not rallies and riots all over the world protesting the killing of civilians as this war dragged to an end over the last few months? Where were the screaming masses that took to the streets in London and elsewhere when Israel, legitimately, defended itself against Hamas initiated terrorism? They were protesting the loss of plus/minus one thousand civilian lives in Gaza. As things turned out just on six hundred of these were Hamas terrorists.

This war in Sri Lanka has seen countless thousands of civilians lose their lives and now two hundred and fifty thousand have been displaced in the last month alone! Did the United Nations hastily convene to condemn this fact? Of course not;……and, what of the European Union? Apart from a few statements, they pursued “business as usual”. This was not Israel so no one cared and no one took to the streets on behalf of the suffering civilian population. This is nothing short of hypocrisy! But we’ve become used to it since it happens time and time again.

Ahmadinejad can deny the Holocaust and call for the destruction of Israel on a global stage, and arm himself with nuclear weapons to do it, and he can walk the halls of government with impunity. As he recently did in Geneva. The masses will not turn out to protest and Iranian flags will not be burned. In fact western European governments will continue doing business with him!! This is the morally bankrupt world we live in. Selective morality is the name of the game and one thing that is always sure is that Israel will always get a bashing!

Her antagonists want concessions from her without recognizing her right to exist and the world, that is the Western World, goes along with this. This, in itself, demonstrates that the goal of those seeking concessions is not a two state solution living side-by-side in peace security but rather a one state solution with Israel consigned to oblivion. How odd that Western politicians can’t see through this or, is there another agenda?

Politics is always filled with intrigue and betrayal not to mention corruption as the British are now finding out. For these reasons it is good to know that there is a God in Heaven who has planned a day of reckoning for all nations. On that day the truth and only the truth will come out and Israel will be the place from which real peace will radiate to the world. The vision will not fail because Isaiah saw it!

The Danger to Israel from Durban II

On the 20th April, the day Hitler was born, the United Nations conference on racism, Durban II, will convene in Geneva. Durban I was nothing more than an attempt to attack Israel by accusing it of racism and of setting up the new Apartheid state. Thankfully, the USA walked out of that circus thus exposing the racist and anti-Semitic nature of the convocation. But now, in Geneva, those seeking to delegitimize Israel are seeking to ratify Durban I and smear Israel again. The Apartheid accusation against the Jewish State will be revived and more greatly amplified. Anti-Apartheid activists like Desmond Tutu will be quoted to verify the claim and even Jimmy Carter will be referenced in order to prove the point. The goal is simple: Discriminate against Israel, delegitimize Israel and, in the end, call for the dismantling of Israel. These voices are already being heard in different parts of the world. Durban II will press forward with this agenda.

Naturally, the word Apartheid is a very powerful one as it evokes images of racial discrimination and suffering that were all too common in South Africa for decades. Forty million people were robbed of their human dignity, treated like animals and herded into ghettos. They were classified white or non-white at the stroke of a pen and sometimes, when such racial profiling was not possible, the strength of one’s curled hair would determine one’s fate. Race coloured all departments of life and those who opposed the system were harassed, hunted down, imprisoned, exiled or even killed. It was an evil system that destroyed the lives of countless thousands.

It was indeed a joyous and great day when this scourge was finally removed allowing South Africa to become a fully democratic non-racist state on the 24th of April, 1994. However, to equate Israel with this system is ludicrous. I lived under the Apartheid State and its vicious machinery and know all too well what it meant. To band the word apartheid about loosely is an insult to the 40 million people who suffered under it. To use the term other than in its original context is to play down the horrific nature of this political nightmare. The same applies to the use of the word Holocaust other than in its original context. There can be no equal! Yet this is what Durban II is all about. The goal is sure; if a charge or accusation of being an apartheid state can be made to stick as far as Israel is concerned then a call can be made to the international community to dismantle such an entity. After all, why should Israel be different to South Africa? This is the danger that Israel now faces. It is a real danger and not one to be taken lightly. Powerful and significant international “players” are involved with it.

Israel is not an Apartheid state. It is a thriving modern day democracy that affords all its peoples dignity and equality under the law. Within its borders are Jews, Christians, Arabs, Druze, Armenians and many other minority groups. All have the same rights and dignity under the law. It enjoys freedom of the press and the right to peaceful protest. Women are respected under the law and allowed into all branches of human endeavour. Israel is a shining light in an Arab world that is largely in the grip of totalitarian governments. Yet it is Israel that the United Nations conference in Geneva has chosen to describe as an Apartheid one! Nothing could be further from the truth.

The conflict in Israel has nothing to do with Apartheid and never will. It is a conflict for survival and thus until Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran and their fellow travelers in the Middle East come fully to terms with Israel’s existence the sufferings of the Palestinians will continue. Not because they live under an Apartheid regime but because they live under bad leadership that has led them continuously into a no man’s land of misery and despair. The idea of a Middle East without Israel is a delusion that many have to get over. Until that day dawns the blessings that Israel can bring to the region will be forfeited.

The Dangers of Ignoring History

Given all the uproar over Israel’s justified incursion into GAZA I have noted, from various sources that, all through the years in different conflicts, pursued by different nations that there were always “voices” that called for disengagement and appeasement in the face of persistent and blatant aggression. For Instance; there were those who thought that the Nazis had obviously improved the lives of millions of Germans at every level and therefore their warlike ‘tones” at mass rallies etc were quite irrelevant and innocuous. Their threats, though often repeated, would amount to nothing!

Even though Mein Kampf (the Nazi Charter) clearly set out the “end game” it was ignored and its sinister agenda calling for the destruction of the Jews and war was regarded as nothing more than rhetoric! In fact there were people in the United Kingdom and even the United States that fully supported the Nazis and even admired them. In the USA the Nazi Party flourished for a while and even held well attended public meetings! The message was clear, there was no need to worry and all the anger and hatred aimed at the Jews was just a passing fad!

Just sixty odd years later another like-minded organization arrived in Gaza with similar goals and rhetoric. It gave help to the Palestinian community there in the form of schools, clinics and general social relief. It murdered the opposition called Fatah and drove them out of town just like Hitler did and in essence bought the support and allegiance of the people. Everyone ignored its violent jihadist speeches at mass rallies that focused on the utter and complete destruction of Israel and its “Mein Kampf” (charter) enshrined the same focus. Even the international community has said very little about this focus choosing rather to “dress” Hamas up as a legitimate partner in the pursuit of peace.

History now instructs us that to ignore reality embodied in documents, books, charters and speeches is to do so at great risk and peril. The Nazi experiment left 53 million people dead all across Europe and Russia. Six million were Jews! Hamas, through its benevolence and hatred of Israel, has led the Palestinians down the same deceptive path but how amazing it is to hear the liberal left western media eulogizing the organization for its activities! They could hardly hide their glee when they announced during the recent war that after all Israel had done Hamas was still fighting back by launching missiles.

All the while the Charter of Hamas remains totally enshrined and continues to call for the total destruction of all of Israel. It also asserts that this is undoubtedly the will of Allah. So, in reality the nature of this struggle is not political but religious just as the struggle against Nazism was not political but religious. Under the surface of this devilish movement was a religious theory based on “Norse God belief systems’ that led them to believe that they were superior to all other people and were called to subdue and triumph over them. The Jewish people were of course the most underdeveloped people on the face of the earth and had to be removed.

Sadly, nothing has really changed; Hamas and their radical Islamic fellow travelers hold a similar belief system. They just live 60 odd years later and in a world that is not prepared to learn from history and that no longer knows or acknowledges the existence of good and evil! Hitler’s jihad against the Jews led to the death of millions of non Jews and the world must recognize that this attack against Israel today could have similar repercussions if it is not recognized for what it is. But, who will listen?

The Core Issues

What makes freedom loving western democracies attack a western styled freedom loving democracy called Israel in favour and support of a totalitarian, terrorist dictatorship called Hamas? Or, why is it that western democracies will not stand alongside Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East, in its struggle against radical Islamic terrorists?

Hamas, an organization that by its words and charter denies the existence of Israel, has for near on five years since Israel withdrew from the northern part of Gaza, attacked the southern towns of Israel by raining down eight thousand missiles on the residents there. Two hundred and fifty thousand people have been held hostage by this menace. Many children have been traumatized by the barrage and lives have been lost not to mention the destruction to property. All eight thousand rocket attacks were aimed indiscriminately at civilians. The world was not outraged and in fact did nothing to halt this aggression. Now that Israel has finally stepped in to bring an end to this state of affairs the world has rushed to condemn the Jewish State!!

Have we missed something here or has the international community “kissed its brains goodbye?”

The answers to the above questions are the following:

1. The demographics of European western democracies have changed dramatically over the last two decades. Most of these countries now have large Muslim populations which are increasing all the time and which are very outspoken and even violent (as in Britain, Holland, Spain and France) in their support of Muslim dictatorships and terrorists. Thus to stand with Israel is to invite trouble in one’s own backyard.

2. Most certainly anti-Semitism is at play here. Critics of this statement will assert that criticism of Israel is legitimate and is not a manifestation of anti-Semitism. They are right! However, what else would lead western democracies to support a terror regime like Hamas? To put Hamas on an equal footing with Israel is downright outrageous. It is the same as placing Hitler and his Nazi regime on the same footing as the western democracies that confronted and defeated him some sixty years ago. This is madness…or…anti-Semitism!

3. The Bible, that is the Book upon which western civilization was built, warns of a day in world events when good will be called evil and evil called good. The emergence of secular humanism with its denial of good and evil and radical commitment to political correctness with man at the center of all things has produced a political culture in Europe chiefly that refuses to acknowledge or identify who the aggressor is and who the victim is. Both sides are always wrong and even in war both sides have to lose equal amounts of lives otherwise the response to aggression is “disproportionate force!! What nonsense. Just a few days before the end of the Second World War Allied planes bombed the city of Dresden in Germany which resulted in hundreds of thousands of civilians losing their lives in fire storms that were in every way apocalyptic and unimaginable. The world said nothing! This was “whole sale” murder on a scale never seen before and quite unnecessary as Germany had been defeated. Israel has done nothing like this. Her attacks on Gaza have been “surgical” in an attempt to minimize loss of civilian life. However, how does one deal with an enemy that will not confront you out in the open but hides amongst the civilian population and uses them as shields?

In closing; what of Egypt? This nation, at peace with Israel, has knowingly and willingly allowed the most sophisticated missiles to be, firstly, smuggled into its sovereign territory from Iran and then, secondly, to be smuggled into Gaza! How did this happen? Most important still, where is the condemnation of this from the United Nations, the European Union and the so called Non-Aligned nations? The silence has been deafening. No this condemnation is reserved for Israel!!

While loss of life is deeply regretted and war is most certainly a last option it must be said that Israel’s patience has been extraordinary. Hamas has led its people into this carnage because it will not move away from its core issue which is the total destruction of Israel. It acts as a proxy for Iran and that should tell us everything. Thankfully, there is a God in Heaven and He will have the last word!

Obama Mania

The liberal left world constantly attacks the evangelical Christian world on religious issues. The barrage never stops and they pursue it on the notion that they by contrast are rational, balanced and not fundamental. All this changed when Barrack Obama arrived on the scene. Suddenly their enthusiasm for his presidential aspirations turned quickly into a religious fervor of a type that one will not see in an evangelical gathering. His Democratic Conference organizers read this “heated fervor” and turned their conference facility into a Greek temple so that he could take his place amongst the pantheon!

Who can forget the scenes of adulation characterized by screaming, tears, outstretched arms and mass hysteria. Some people in these vast crowds even claimed to have been healed as they listened to Obama. This was no doubt psycho somatic! The media has also entered this arena as they have printed stories and editorials speaking of Obama in messianic terms. He will save the world and to be honest he claimed that he would! The French Foreign Minister recently called him the President of the world as have other politicians. Everywhere he is being spoken of as a savior, messiah and deliverer but is this true and what does all this say about the world in which we live?

First of all it says that the irreligious world is more desperate and void of answers than they are about to let on. Their constant attack against the evangelical world is thus in reality hypocritical and a commentary on their own notion of hopelessness. They don’t have the answers and thus resist those who demonstrate a peace that says that they do. How else does one understand the vicious attacks against Sarah Palin? She was mocked for belonging to the Assemblies of God, for being a women of prayer, for opposing abortion and for asserting God’s sovereignty over the affairs of nations. The British based Sky Television network actually showed a video of her being prayed for by her Pastor and stated that this made her controversial!

Secondly it demonstrates the age old problem of humanity. That is, we want a savior without the responsibility of a changed life. The biblical notion of the fall and thus of sin is scoffed at today. The world is looking for a messiah who will deliver it and justify it, while at the same time, allowing it to be in rebellion against a biblical standard of righteousness.

And thirdly it is a commentary on how far so called Western nations have departed from the Judeo/Christian values that made them great and civilized their societies. We have turned our backs in the western world on our own foundations, history and culture. These have produced the soul of nations and thus guaranteed our culture of life and freedom. A body without a soul is dead and thus a people that forget God will in the end devalue human life.

To be sure Barrack Obama is no savior, messiah or deliverer and he will not change the world. He is just a man and I think that he knows this full well. As President elect of a great nation he needs our prayers and we do hope that he will lead his nation into better days. Above all he does represent a nation that has the capacity to change and thus, by his election, has the capacity to forever put to rest the charge of racism against it. We salute his remarkable achievement while all the time knowing that the God of the Bible put him there.

The Case for Christian Zionism

A. A definition of the term

Christian Zionism is the belief that the Abrahamic Covenant is as applicable and efficacious, in all aspects today, as it was 4000 years ago and has never in full or in part been abolished.

It follows:
1. That Israel’s modern day restoration is living evidence of God’s faithfulness to this covenant and is not a political accident of history. (Genesis17:7-8)

2. That Christians are therefore obligated to bless, support and pray for that which God, by His promise to Abraham, has done in the restoration of Israel. (Genesis12:1-3; Psalm 122:6)

3. That Israel’s position before God as a chosen people has not changed. This election is understood in the context of role and not specialness! She is the “vehicle of world redemption” and mediator of all of God’s covenants. ( Romans3:1-2; Romans9:1-5; John4:22)

4. That Israel’s possession of the land of Canaan is unconditional but her domicile upon it is conditional. That is, regulated by her reconciled relationship with her God (Jeremiah25:3-11) and her just treatment of the stranger in her midst. (Deutoromy10:17-19)

B. The nature of the Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis12:1-3)

Is the following:
1. It calls into existence the nation of Israel. (V1-2)

2. It initiates a programme of world redemption. (v3)

3. It bequeaths land to Abraham and his seed forever. (v1)……..and,

4. It issues a warning to those who would in any way resist this initiative and a blessing to those who support it. (v3)

C. The conflict over this Covenant

Antagonists to the position just stated have to prove their thesis by attacking the on going validity of the Abrahamic Covenant. These people are “Replacement thinkers / Theologians” or “Fulfillment Thinkers”. They deny the on-going chosenness of Israel and therefore deny the divine right that Jews have to possess the land of Canaan. Since the coming of Jesus 2000 years ago the Jews no longer have a divine right to Canaan. Their only hope and future is in Christ. The restoration of the Jews to Palestine/Canaan in our day is nothing more than a political coincidence! For many of them it is a miracle but an immoral one, as one of their own put it years ago.

To maintain this position they have to:

1. Abolish the Abrahamic Covenant……….or,

2. Reconstruct the Abrahamic Covenant

Given the abundant biblical references to the Abrahamic Covenant in the New Testament the first option is well nigh impossible so most Replacement Thinkers are “reconstructionists”. That is, they hold fast to that part of the Abrahamic Covenant that foresees the blessing of salvation coming upon all peoples but, they deny that part that promises everlasting possession of the land to Abraham and his children. All is fulfilled in Jesus! Now all that matters is preaching the Gospel to Jew and Gentile alike and getting involved in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict is a “sideshow” and distraction and stumbling block to peace in the region.

Some of this sounds very Bible based and plausible but is it true? The short answer is no! The long answer is the following:

1. A point of clarification

The scriptures clearly affirm that Jews and Gentiles are only saved through faith in the finished work of Jesus on the cross. Jewish possession of the land of Canaan does not change this in any way. The return of the Jews is for the reason of furthering the redemptive purpose of God for all nations. It has no salvation merit! (All of Israel’s returns to the land of Canaan throughout history have furthered the divine redemptive global plan) However, scripture does foresee a great outpouring of the Spirit in Israel that will lead to a national spiritual recovery. (Zechariah12:10-14; Romans11:25-26)

2. A point of contradiction

To hold the Replacement Theological position one has to not only reconstruct the Abrahamic Covenant but also scripture. That is, biblical passages that clearly speak of a future physical return of the Jews to Canaan have to be reinterpreted. In all cases where this is done the context is violated and totally ignored and indeed distorted. (Isaiah2:1-5; Amos 9:14-15; Acts1:6-8) This bizarre method of interpretation, known as the allegorical method of exposition, violates every principle of biblical exposition and contradicts that simple and plain meaning of the text. It thus not only disinvests Jews of their possession of Canaan but it also disinvests scripture of its authority. It also disconnects the Church from supporting and blessing God’s purpose for the world! This constitutes the ultimate contradiction.

3. A point of truth

(i) The scriptures nowhere speak of a reconstructed Abrahamic Covenant. This is a complete presumption and fabrication

(ii) The replacement or reconstructionist position in essence lays an accusation of lying against God. ( Numbers23:19) Moreover the book of Romans affirms that the unique and divine calling over Israel has never been revoked (Romans11:29)

(iii) The New Covenant scriptures everywhere affirm the full power and validity of the Abrahamic Covenant. Even going so far as to state that it cannot be annulled (Luke1:54-55;72-75; Acts3:25-26; Galatians3:7-8;13-14;29; Hebrews6:13-20)

(iv) The passage of Galatians 3:15-18 referring to the “seed” Christ is not in any way an argument in support of reconstructionism. Rather Paul is establishing the fact that salvation is by faith alone in Christ’s finished work on the cross and not by works of the law

(v) Jesus clearly affirmed the Abrahamic Covenant by speaking about the return of the Jews to Jerusalem from exile and by promising a Davidic Kingdom, to be established in the Father’s time or season, reigning from Jerusalem (Luke21:24; Acts1:6-8)

(vi) The Abrahamic Covenant, without alteration, is held up to New Testament believers as an example, in fact the great example, of God’s faithfulness to His word and promises. (Hebrews 6:13-20) This is why New Covenant believers can fully trust God to save them. In short He doesn’t lie! Apparently for reconstructionists and replacement thinkers He does! It must be remembered that the only scriptures the first century Christians had were the Old Testament ones. Meaning that they were not subject to the “clever twisting” of the New Testament scriptures as done by modern theologians.

4. A point of concern

The modern day Christian Zionist movement must mature and self regulate itself. By this I mean that we cannot abide “Israel Crazies” who are weak theologically and cause more division and confusion in the local church than a blessing. The movement must grow up and stand for the following:

(i) Total focus upon Jesus who must be Lord of our lives

(ii) Total focus upon the implications of His finished work on the cross that cannot be added to or subtracted from. We are not required by scripture to observe days, feasts, Sabbaths and eat kosher foods (Colossians2:160-17)

(iii) Total commitment to all the programs of the local church that remains the central focus of God’s work on earth regardless of its many imperfections (Acts2:42; Hebrews10:13-17;24-27)

(iv) Total focus upon the compassion and love of Jesus when dealing with those who don’t see things our way. They are not of the devil!

(v) Total commitment to all that God is doing in Israel. Knowing that, in His time and season, the restoration of Israel will usher in a new age of Messianic peace and glory for the whole world

(vi) Total commitment to all peoples of the Middle East region who are equally loved by God (John3:16)

(vii) Total appreciation of the biblical call to champion issues of justice and righteousness not only in Israel but in all parts of the world (Isaiah58:6-8; Micah6:18)

(viii) Total understanding that our support of Israel should not be politicized and thus champion the policy of any political group or party. God watches over Israel day and night and not us! (Psalm121:4) We are called to bless and comfort Israel (Isaiah40:1-2)