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Our job is to be martyrs.Reader comment on item: Minimize Middle East Mistakes Submitted by Michael S, Jan 4, 2017 at 16:49 Hi, Lynn. You said, "Wasn't it you who exclaimed that all nations will rise against Israel?" Yes, it was I -- quoting Zechariah 14:2. "Doesn't that include the United States?" Yes. We are one of "all nations". The Hebrew is כל הגוים , or "all Gentiles" -- The Jews are considered by God to be a "nation apart", not counted among the nations -- to which resolution after resolution in the UN bears witness. "So if that is so then we are witnessing the withdrawal of support for Israel by the United States." Temporarily, yes -- until 20 Jan. 2017, when Donald Trump is sworn in as President. Since the Republican Congress is pro-Israel, as well as Trump, I expect us to return to supporting Israel in the UN. The resolution still has done harm, though: It has the force of international law, and will allow the so-called "Palestinian State" (a truly mythical creation, yet recognized by much of the world) to file countless frivolous charges against Israel in the World Court in the Hague. Fortunately, none of the world's major powers (the US, Russia, China and India) are members of the World Court; so such actions will be of nuissance value: Europe and Japan, however, which are members, will be required to arrest Israeli leaders if they come to their countries. The real danger to Israel has always been more from the Europeans, than from America. You went on, "We are being created as a nation of everything so that we will be nothing and Islam is proving that. We refuse to acknowledge that when we say God Bless America we are really saying gods bless america. Who are we to think that we have a home when even our leader The Lord has no home and nowhere to lay his head?" I agree with you, taking "The Lord" to mean יהוה , which is written in all caps, thus, the LORD, in the King James Old Testament. He is the God of Heaven, and Creator of the Universe, yet He has chosen the Temple Mount as the place for His name, His "address". Indeed, this LORD is "homeless" at the moment, because His people refuse to take possession of the Mount, which He has given them. Concerning the OTHER "Lord" (In the New Testament, the two cannot be distinguished), referring to the now risen Jesus, he DOES have a place to put his name, namely, in the hearts of those who trust in him, i.e. his church. I've been a Christian nearly all my life; and I've seen these two conflated often. Many Christians believe in "transfer theology", wherein everything God promised to the Jews is irrelevant because those promises now belong to the Christians. This is not true: They have their promises, which God will never break, and we have ours. It is God's promises to the Jews, that the world (including many Americans) is at war with, which is why they are so persistent in trying to deny them access to the Temple Mount. Those same people hate true believers in Jesus as well; but we have no "temple" for them to attack, other than our own persons. You said, "The deceiver does not care nor need to single out believers to suffer and leave unbelievers alone." The Devil is a murderer by nature; and his ultimate aim is the destruction of all humanity. He has no power to do so, however, except in cases where God allows it. God cares for the sparrows, so He certainly cares for all mankind, both good and evil. Recall that Jesus treated Judas as a close companion, knowing all along that he would betray him. As the scripture says (as you noted), "God causes it to rain on both the just and the unjust". Even so, there is much bloodshed in the world, because of Adam's duplicity. You went on, "I dread the day when the United States is against Israel and can only hope and pray that we will be like the story in the Bible of that city that repented when they believed their downfall was imminent and as warned by the prophet." My family lives in the US, and also in Red China. I pray for the leaders of both countries, so that we and our family can be free to live Godly lives and so the gospel can be preached. God certainly hears your prayers, and mine; but the reality is, that our citizenship is not in this world: We are aliens here, being citizens of heaven. If we suffer, God will heal our wounds; and if we die, He will raise us up. That is our hope. At the same time, innocent sufferers around the world have been crying up to heaven for vengeance against their oppressors; and our Just God has heard them and will execute judgment. This is in the Bible, in Rev. 6: [10] And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? You went on, " I don't want to be the last nation to fall in line against Israel. What happened at the UN seemed like the beginning and with a no vote, not one or the other, but something to be spit out lukewarm and unpalatable a nation like a reed shaken by the wind." I sympathize with you. My ancestors have been in this country for thousands of years. Some came on the Mayflower, including Elder William Brewster. Even on that very ship, though, there were those who did not share his scriptural convictions; and this country grew insensibly more and more evil. Did you know that the founder of British Atheism was none other than Thomas Paine, whose pamphlet "Common Sense" was largely responsible for the rallying of the Americans in their fight against King George? Paine was himself a Deist; but he returned to the UK after the Revolution, after which his writings have been used for every ungodly purpose. Deism was the "halfway house" to Atheism here as well; and Thomas Jefferson was said to have been one. So you see, the sickness goes back to the very foundations; we are not innocent. The days are growing shorter. Personally, I expect the end to come early in 2028, under the successor to Donald Trump. There is still much to happen, between now and then; and we have our work cut out for us, namely, to be true Christian martyrs -- witnesses to the world of the life of Jesus within us. Shalom shalom :-)
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