Abraham's Journey - Afrikaans

April 1, 2025

Abraham Se Reis

Gen.12:1‐20: "En die HERE het aan Abram gesê: Gaan jy uit jou land en uit jou familie en uit jou vader se huis, na die land wat Ek jou sal wys.

En Ek sal jou 'n groot nasie maak en jou seën en jou naam so groot maak, dat jy 'n seën sal wees. En Ek sal seën diegene wat jou seën, en hom vervloek wat jou vervloek; en in jou sal al die geslagte van die aarde geseën word. Toe het Abram weggetrek soos die HERE hom gesê het, en Lot het saam met hom getrek. En Abram was vyf en sewentig jaar oud by sy vertrek uit Haran.

En Abram het Sarai, sy vrou, en Lot, sy broerskind, geneem en al hulle besittings wat hulle bymekaargemaak en die slawe wat hulle in Haran verwerf het, en hulle het uitgetrek om na die land Kanaän te gaan en in die land Kanaän gekom. En Abram het deur die land getrek na die plek Sigem, tot by die terpentynboom More. Die Kanaäniete was toe in die land. Daarop verskyn die HERE aan Abram en sê: Aan jou nageslag sal Ek hierdie land gee.

Toe bou hy daar 'n altaar vir die HERE wat aan hom verskyn het. En daarvandaan het hy verder versit na die gebergte oos van Bet‐el en sy tent opgeslaan tussen Bet‐el aan die weste‐en Ai aan die oostekant, en daar vir die HERE 'n altaar gebou en die Naam van die HERE aangeroep. Daarna het Abram al verder na die Suidland weggetrek. En daar was hongersnood in die land, sodat Abram na Egipte afgetrek het om daar as vreemdeling te vertoef; want die hongersnood was swaar in die land. En toe hy op die punt staan om Egipte in te trek, het hy met sy vrou Sarai gespreek: Kyk, ek weet dat jy 'n vrou is mooi van aansien.

As die Egiptenaars jou nou sien, sal hulle sê: Dit is sy vrou en hulle sal my doodmaak en jou laat lewe. Sê tog jy is my suster, dat dit met my goed kan gaan ter wille van jou en ek om jou ontwil in die lewe kan bly. Toe Abram dan in Egipte gekom het, sien die Egiptenaars dat die vrou baie mooi was. Ook het die vorste van Farao haar gesien en haar by Farao geprys. En die vrou is na die paleis van Farao geneem. En hy het goed gedoen aan Abram om haar ontwil, sodat hy kleinvee en beeste en esels, slawe en slavinne, eselinne en kamele in besit gekry het. Maar die HERE het Farao en sy huis met groot plae besoek ter wille van Sarai, die vrou van Abram.

Daarop laat Farao Abram roep en hy sê: Wat het jy my nou aangedoen? Waarom het jy my nie te kenne gegee dat sy jou vrou is nie? Waarom het jy gesê: Sy is my suster‐sodat ek haar vir my as vrou geneem het? Daar is jou vrou dan nou; neem haar en gaan weg.

En Farao het aan enkele manne aangaande hom bevel gegee, en hulle het hom weggebring met sy vrou en sy hele besitting".

Gen.13:1‐4 / 18: "So het Abram dan uit Egipte na die Suidland opgetrek, hy met sy vrou en sy hele besitting, en Lot saam met hom. En Abram was baie ryk aan vee, aan silwer en goud. En hy het van plek tot plek uit die Suidland getrek tot by Bet‐el, na die plek waar sy tent in die begin gestaan het, tussen

Bet‐el en Ai, na die plek van die altaar wat hy vroeër daar gebou het. En Abram het daar die Naam van die HERE aangeroep.

V.18: "Toe het Abram al verder tente opgeslaan en gaan woon by die terpentynbome (Eike bome) van Mamre wat by Hebron is; en hy het daar vir die HERE 'n altaar gebou".

Hier sien ons hoedat vader Abraham dan gekom by die eike van Mamre wat naby Hebron is waar so baie dinge in sy lewe gebeur het. Die Skrifte vertel vir ons dat Abraham die vader is van almal wat glo, die Jode noem hom Abba Abraham‐‐Vader Abraham. Die Arabiere noem hom Ibrahim. Hy is die vader van almal wat glo. Met ander woorde, alles wat met Abraham gebeur, gebeur met sy nakomelinge, en sekerlik ook met sy fisiese nakomelinge , die Jode, en ook in 'n sekere mate met sy ander fisiese nakomelinge, die Arabiere, maar baie seker met sy nakomelinge wat deur die Geloof aan hom verbind is, hulle vir wie die Belofte is, die saad van Abraham, wat sy seun Isak uitbeeld wat ook die beeld van Jesus Christus is:‐‐Jeshua.

Wat Met Abraham Gebur Het Gebeur Met Ons.

Gedurende 'n hongersnood gaan Abraham na Egipte, en in Egipte bring God 'n oordeel oor Farao die koning van Egipte, en Abraham kom uit Egipte en hy kom in 'n land wat geken sal word as Israel. Maar dat sien ons dat sy nakomelinge, die kinders van sy klein seun Jakob, ook in 'n hongersnood na Egipte vlug, net soos wat dit met Abraham gebeur het, en God oordeel 'n bose koning en Abraham se nakomelinge kom uit Egipte en gaan na die Beloofde Land.

Maar dan gaan dit verder, en ook Koning Jesus vlug na Egipte, en God oordeel 'n ander bose koning, Herodus, en Koning Jesus kom uit Egipte na die Beloofde Land. Die Jode sien profesie as 'n patroon en nie as 'n eenvoudige voorspelling en 'n vervulling nie, met dit in gedagte sal u verstaan waarom Matthéus verwys na Hoséa 11:1: "Uit Egipte het Ek My Seun geroep" Hier word gepraat van die Eksodus maar dit word toegepas op Koning Jesus". In die Joodse manier van Skrif vertolking, Midrush, is Koning Jesus die Liggaam van Israel, en wanneer u Skrifgedeeltes sien soos: Israel My Eersgeborene", dan moet u weet dit is 'n verwysing na ons Messias. Maar dan kom óns uit Egipte uit! 1Kor.10‐‐net soos Abraham.

Farao is die beeld van Satan, die god van hierdie wêreld, en Egipte is die beeld van die wêreld. Net soos wat Moses na 'n berg toe gaan en 'n bloed verbond sluit en die mense met bloed besprinkel, net so doen Koning Jesus dit ook.

Moses lei die volk uit Egipte en deur die water na die Beloofde Land, en net so lei Koning Jesus ons uit hierdie wêreld deur die doopwater na die hemel. Ons kom uit Egipte, maar die uiteindelike, die laaste uittog uit Egipte, is die Opstanding en die Wegraping van die Kerk, of die Gemeente, die Liggaam, die Bruid van Christus.

Pasop vir mense wat leer dat die Wegraping 'n mite is. Die oordele in die Eksodus, die uittog uit Egipte, word herhaal in Openbaring, en net soos wat Farao se towernaars al die wonderwerke van Moses nagemaak het, net so gaan die valse profeet en die Antichris die Wonderwerke van Koning Jesus en Sy getuies vervals aan die einde, en net so moet hulle ook die beendere van Josef uit Egipte bring‐‐ Hoekom? Die wat in Christus gesterwe het sal eerste opstaan, ons kom almal saam uit!. Alles begin met

Abraham, hy kom uit Egipte uit, sy nakomelinge kom uit Egipte uit, en dan kom sy geestelike nakomelinge, die Bybel gelowige wedergebore Christene uit Egipte uit. Jesus Christus die Messias self kom ook uit Egipte uit, want Hy is die saad van Abraham. Die reis begin by Abraham, en alles wat met hom gebeur het gaan met jou en my gebeur, ons stap dieselfde pad! Die Boek Genesis vertel vir ons dat Abraham by 'n krisis punt in sy lewe gekom het, toe sy vader, Tera, in Haran gesterwe het. Dit is hier waar Abraham die besluit geneem het om God te volg, maar volgens die Nuwe Testament was daar iets anders. Daar was dinge wat die Jode geweet het tot en met die Tweede Tempel typerk, en ook tot en met Christus en daarna, wat nie in die Tora of die Tenaag, die Ou Testament, opgeteken is nie.

Laat ons kortliks kyk na Stefanus se rede in die Boek Handelinge 7:1‐4: "Toe sê die hoëpriester: Is hierdie dinge dan so? En hy sê: Broeders en vaders, luister! Die God van die heerlikheid het verskyn aan ons vader Abraham toe hy in Mesopotámië was, voordat hy in Haran gewoon het, en vir hom gesê: Trek uit jou land en uit jou familie, en kom na die land wat Ek jou sal wys. Toe het hy getrek uit die land van die Chaldéërs en in Haran gaan woon; en ná die dood van sy vader het Hy hom daarvandaan laat verhuis na hierdie land waarin julle nou woon".

Genesis vertel vir ons dat God Abraham uit Haran geroep het, maar die Nuwe Testament vertel vir ons dat God hom uit Ur, die land van die Chaldéërs, geroep het.

Dit is waar die toring van Babel gebou was, dieselfde omgewing wat vandag die moderne Irak is, dit is ook die moontlike plek waar Adam en Eva gewoon het, en ook die moontlike plek waar die Babilonise Ryk later ontstaan het,‐‐dit is waar vandaan Abraham gekom het. Hierdie dinge is opgeteken in die Taalmoed, dit is nie in die Bybel nie.

Daar word ook vertel dat Abraham se vader 'n afgode handelaar was, maar eendag het Abraham 'n hamer gevat en al sy vader se afgode stukkend geslaan, waarna hy die hamer in een oorblywende afgod se hand geplaas het.

Toe sy vader in die huis kom het hy vir Abraham baie ernstig gevra wie al sy gode vernietig het, toe sê Abraham vir hom dat dit die een is wat die hamer in sy hand het, waarop sy vader geantwoord het dat dit onmoontlik is omdat hierdie 'n god van klip is en dat daar geen asem en lewe in hom is nie, waarop Abraham vir sy Vader gesê het: Presies vader, dit is net so. Dit is Joodse tradiese uit die Taalmoed.

Wat ons egter hier wil sê is dit: Daar het iets in Abraham se lewe gebeur toe hy ouer was by die dood van sy vader wat veroorsaak het dat hy opreg met God begin wandel het, maar God het hom lank voor dit al geroep, God het hom geroep toe hy nog 'n klein seuntjie in Ur, die land van die Galdéërs was. Dit wat met Abraham gebeur het, gaan ook met ons gebeur.

As iemand wedergebore is, en die persoon vir die eerste keer in sy lewe in 'n verhouding met God begin te lewe deur die Geloof in Jesus Christus, dan begin alles in die lewe vir hom of haar sin te maak.

Wanneer iemand tot redding gekom het dan maak nie net sy teenswoordige lewe sin nie maar ook sy verlede, u sien, God ken die wat aan Hom behoort van die begin van die skepping af, en dit is wanneer die verlede en die hede bymekaar uitkom.

Dinge in jou lewe wat nooit sin gemaak het nie, dinge soos jou gedagtes, jou ondervindinge toe jy nog baie klein was, en noudat jy jou hart vir Koning Jesus gegee het, begin nou alles sin maak. Abraham was net soos ons, en dit was by 'n krisis punt in sy lewe dat hy ag geslaan het op die Roepstem van ons Hemelse Vader, in Abraham se geval was dit die dood van 'n geliefde.

Die Here is naby diegene wat treur. Maar ons kry ook mense wat nie omgee oor die dinge van God en oor die ewigheid nie, hulle plaas dit eenvoudig uit hulle gedagtes, maar baie van hierdie mense, wanneer hulle te doen kry met die dood van 'n geliefde en by 'n oop graf staan, dan ruk hierdie dinge hulle tot besinning en is hulle baie oop vir die geestelike dinge omdat hulle gekonfronteer word met die dood en die ewigheid, en dit is een van die dinge wat God gebruik om mense tot die werklikheid te roep.

Abraham, by 'n krisis punt in sy lewe by Haran, kom na Sigem, Sigem beteken letterlik, 'n skouer' soos om 'n las op jou skouer te dra.

As u vandag in die Damaskus Hek sou gaan sit dan sal u 'n gesig sien so reg uit die Nuwe Testament. U sal daar sal kamele, esels, blinde bedelaars, godsdiestige geveinsdes en handelaars sien, maar u sal ook baie mense sien wat hulle goedere op hulle skouers dra. Hier by ons kan ons vandag nog sien hoedat van die swart volkere hulle goedere op hulle koppe dra, maar in die Midde Ooste dra hulle dit op hulle skouers.

Abraham bring sy las op sy skouers na Sigem nadat hy die Woord van die Here in sy lewe ontvang het, en hy gaan bly onder 'n eike boom. In die Midde Ooste, en ook in die wêreld, word eike bome as een van die sterkste bome gereken. Abraham gaan bly onder die eike van Moreh.

Verskillende bome in die Bybel verteenwoordig verskillende dinge, en in hierdie geval vertel dit vir ons iets van iemand sy geestelike toestand. Toe Elia in wanhoop was het hy onder 'n Jenewerboom (Besembos in die Afr.V.) gaan sit. (Ons moet Jenewerbome vermy). Toe koning Saul tereg sou staan op al sy oortredings, sy rebellie teenoor God, heksery en moord, het hy onder 'n Tamariskboom gaan sit.

Maar hier sien ons dat Abraham onder 'n eike boom van Moreh gaan bly het. Moreh is die moderne woord in Hebreeus vir leraar, en 'n Bybelse term vir geestelike kennis, in die besonders, kennis van God. Hoe pas hierdie verklarings in by die Woord van die Here?

Joodse Christene, of Messiaanse Jode, aan die einde van die eerste eeu, het met die lees van die Evangelie van Johannes, Hoofstukke 1‐3, dit verklaar as 'n weergawe van die Skeppings verhaal wat in Genesis opgeteken is, en hulle het dit gesien as die Skeppings verhaal van die Nuwe Skepping. Genesis, 'Bereshit' 1‐3 is dus 'n oorsig van Johannes 1‐3.

Hierdie Christene het hierdie ooreenstemmende hoofstukke in die Bybel soos volg verklaar en hulle het dit gesien dat God oor die aarde in Genesis, met die Skepping gewandel het, en net so wandel God in Johannes ook in die Nuwe Skepping.

In die Begin, in Genesis, het God die lig van die donker geskei, en in Johannes skei God die Lig van Donker in die Nuwe Skepping. Ons het die klein liggie en die groot lig in die Skepping van Genesis, maar

nou het ons die klein liggie, Yochanan, Johannes die Doper, en Yeshua Hamashiach, Jesus Christus, ons Messias, die Groot lig in die Nuwe Skepping.

Die Gees van God het oor die waters beweeg in die Skepping van Genesis, en die Skepping voortgebring, en in Johannes sien ons dat die Heilige Gees weer oor die Waters beweeg en Wedergebore Chistene voortbring wat uit Water en Gees gebore is, en hoe hulle gevorm word tot 'n Nuwe Skepping. Dan sien ons 'n man met die naam van Natánael:

Joh.1:48‐49: "Daarop sien Jesus Natánael na Hom toe kom en sê van hom: Hier is waarlik 'n Israeliet in wie daar geen bedrog is nie. Natánael sê vir Hom: Waarvandaan ken U my? Jesus antwoord en sê vir hom: Voordat Filippus jou geroep het toe jy onder die vyeboom was, het Ek jou gesien".

In die Rabbiniese literatuur word die vyeboom gesien as 'n metafoor vir die Boom van die Lewe, wat ook na die beste van my kennis, in Esegiël 47 beskrywe word, wat na die Millennium verwys, en net so ook in die Boek Openbaring. Wanneer Koning Jesus dan vir Natánael sê dat Hy hom onder die vyeboom gesien het, het Hy nie net bedoel dat Hy hom onder 'n gewone vyboom gesien het nie, alhoewel dit so was, maar wat Koning Jesus hier vir Natánael gesê het is dat Hy hom van die begin af, vanaf die Skepping, die Fondasie van die wêreld af, in die Boek van die Lewe gesien het.‐‐ Rom.8:29: "Want die wat Hy vantevore geken het, dié het Hy ook vantevore verordineer om gelykvormig te wees aan die beeld van sy Seun,‐‐‐".

Die eerste kennis wat Abraham van die HERE onse God opgedoen het was by Sigem, en hier lê hy sy las neer en kom daar onder die eik van Moreh, en daar bou hy 'n altaar wat in Hebreeus 'Mizbeach' genoem word. 'n Altaar se doel is 'n plek waarop ge‐offer word.

En so was dit altyd in die lewe van Abraham dat as hy by 'n keerpunt in sy lewe en wandel met God gekom het, dan moes hy 'n Altaar bou, en so moet dit ook wees in my en u lewe, een of ander tyd gaan God van my en u vra om 'n altaar opterig.

As daar nie 'n altaar is nie, dan is daar ook nie 'n offer nie en ook geen vooruitgang in jou wandel met Christus nie.

Christene wat nie gewillig is om 'n altaar te bou by keer punte in hulle lewens nie, sal stagnant raak, en hulle sal nooit die volheid van God se Seëninge kan ontvang nie. Abraham bou sy eerste altaar vir God toe hy tot die eerste kennis van God gekom het, maar dan trek Abraham verder suid na Bet‐el, en Bet‐el in Hebreeus beteken 'Die Huis van die HERE'. Is dit nie die mees logiese stap in die wêreld, dat enige mens by wedergeboorte 'n groot begeerte het om die HERE sy God beter te leer ken nie? Dit is die tweede stap! Maar wat gebeur met Abraham ten Ooste van Bet‐el by die plek met die naam van Ai? Ai beteken die plek van bouvalle. Hier beveel die Here hom om 'n altaar opterig, maar om hier 'n offer te bring moes Abraham sy rug draai na Ai, en hy moes met sy gesig na Bet‐el staan. Abraham moes sy rug draai op die Ooste, die plek van waar hy gekom het, en hy moes sy gesig draai na die Weste om sy offer in die Tempel te bring. Om te offer in Hebreeus is 'Lehakriv'.

Toe Abraham van die plek af gekom het waar die Toring van Babel opgerig was, waar die val van die mense plaasgevind het, en waar die Babiloniese Ryk heelwaarskynlik opgerig is, en hy moes sy rug draai op hierdie bouvalle en 'n altaar oprig en hy moes met sy gesig na die Huis van die Here, 'n offer bring.

Daar is twee soorte afvallige mense in die kerk, afvallige mense is nie noodwendig mense wat die kerke verlaat nie, dit is maar net die verteenwoordiging daarvan, omdat daar is net so veel afvalliges binne in die kerke is as wat daar buite die kerke is. Die Boek Spreuke sê vir ons dat die hart van 'n teruggevalle mens vol is van sy eie denkes, en mense wat se harte vol is van hulle eie mensgemaakte idees is mense wat teruggeval het.

In die Brief van Judas word hierdie soort mens en sy gedrag beskrywe, wat vir ons die beste voorbeeld in die Nuwe Testament is.

Dit is een saak om in Bet‐el te kom, maar dit is 'n ander saak om jou rug te draai op Ai! Mense gaan kerk toe, maar wanneer hulle by die kerk se deure uitstap, dan sien ons hulle verhoudings met die wêreld, hulle rook en drink, hoereer en geniet al die dinge van die wêreld. Hulle wil met die een voet in die kerk staan en met die ander voet in die wêreld.

Dit is die beeld van die mens wat twee Gode probeer dien, en dit is die teken van 'n mens wat in 'n groot afval lewe, dit is die mense wat nie hulle rug op Ai, die wêreld, wil draai nie. Onthou net; In die Bybel is Egipte die beeld van die wêreld, en as die duiwel nie 'n mens kan oorhaal om terug te val deur die welluste van die vlees nie, dan sal hy 'n krisis in my en u lewe bewerkstellig sodat ons genootsaak is om te gaan hulp soek by die wêreld.

Nùmeri in Hebreeus is 'Bemidbar'‐‐in die Wildernis,‐‐‐die wêreld waardeur Israel getrek vanaf Egipte na die Beloofde Land, wat ook vir ons 'n voorbeeld is van ons eie lewe waardeur ons ook uit Egipte, die wêreld, moet trek deur die woestyn na die Hemel, ons Beloofde Land.

Num.11:4‐6: "En die gemengde bevolking wat onder hulle was, is met lus bevang. Toe het die kinders van Israel ook weer geween en gesê: Wie sal vir ons vleis gee om te eet?

Ons dink aan die visse wat ons in Egipte verniet kon eet, aan die komkommers en die waterlemoene en die prei en die uie en die knoffel. Maar nou is ons siel dor; daar's glad niks nie: net die manna is voor ons oë".

Toe ons nog in die wêreld was het ons niks anders gehad om na te kyk as na die begeerlikhede van die wêreld nie, maar nou dat die Here ons uit hierdie wêreld en sy begeertes uitgered het, wil ons na niks anders kyk behalwe na die Manna, na Koning Jesus, die Woord van die Here nie, want ons is nou bywoners in hierdie wêreld, terwyl die wat verlore gaan se begeertes is na die dinge van Egipte, die wêreld, en hierdie mense is die ongereddes en die terugevallenes wat vergeet het dat hulle slawe was in Egipte en dat hulle dit weer is, en wat onder die oordeel van die doodstraf staan. Dit is die teken van die een soort teruggevallenes, dit is hulle wat terug verlang na Egipte.

Maar wat het met Abraham gebeur? kyk na Jesaja 30.

In Hebreeus word Jesaja genoem: 'Yeshayhu Hanavi'; Hoséa is 'Hoshea; Joshua is 'Yehoshua' en Koning Jesus is 'Yeshua'. Die 'SH' klank in hierdie woord samestellings word in Hebreeus geken as 'Shorisit' of die wortel van 'n woord, wat redding beteken, en al hierdie profete het Koning Jesus, ons Redder, op een of ander manier uitgebeeld.

Jes.30:1‐2: "Wee die opstandige kinders, spreek die HERE, wat 'n plan uitvoer, maar dit is nie uit My nie; wat 'n verbond sluit, en dit is nie uit my Gees nie, om sonde op sonde te stapel; wat gaan om na Egipte af te trek, en hulle raadpleeg my mond nie, om toevlug te soek onder die beskutting van Farao en om te skuil in die skaduwee van Egipte. Maar die beskutting van Farao sal julle tot skande wees, en die skuiling in die skaduwee van Egipte tot smaadheid".

Jes.31: 1/3: "Wee hulle wat na Egipte aftrek om hulp en hulle verlaat op perde, en wat vertrou op strydwaens, omdat daar baie is, en op ruiters, omdat hulle baie talryk is, maar hulle sien nie op die Heilige van Israel en hulle soek nie die HERE nie.

Ja, die Egiptenaars is mense en nie God nie, en hulle perde is vlees en nie gees nie; as die HERE sy hand uitstrek, dan struikel die helper, en wie gehelp is, val; en saam gaan hulle almal te gronde".

Let op: Koning Hiskia was 'n baie goeie koning maar hy het homself in 'n strategiese baie moeilike posisie bevind deurdat hy bedreig was deur 'n militêre vyand vanuit die noorde en hy was onder druk om hulp te vra van die Egiptenaar Farao, wat 'n simbool is van die duiwel, die god van die wêreld, en wat ook 'n belangrike beeld is van die Antichris, die mens wat aanbid gaan word as 'n god. Die vlees sal altyd na die dinge van die wêreld gaan omdat hy dit sien as 'n sterk magtige steunpilaar.

In 'n tyd van 'n krisis sal die ou skepping altyd na die perde van vlees opkyk omdat hulle sterk is. Die ou mens, die natuurlike mens sal altyd na die wêreld vlug in tye van nood, maar die Woord sê vir ons dat albei saam gaan val omdat die Egiptenare mense is, en nie God nie: "Hulle wat gaan om na Egipte af te trek, en hulle raadpleeg My mond nie".

Ons kan die dinge van die wêreld gebruik en geniet, maar eers moet ons God daarna raadpleeg. Die vraag is: Sal u 'n prokureer of 'n wetsgeleerde raadpleeg oor 'n saak, of sal u die saak na God toe neem? God kan mense gebruik wat in enige iets opgelei is. Die vraag is: Moet ek die voorgeskrewe medisyne gebruik, of moet ek die operasie ondergaan? Raadpleeg God daarvoor!

Die probleem is dat mense eerste na die wêreld, die vlees, toe hardloop sonder om God te raadpleeg.

Jes.30:3: "Maar die beskutting van Farao sal julle tot skande wees, en die skuiling in die skaduwee van Egipte tot smaadheid".

Daar bestaan nie iets soos 'n suksesvolle terugevallene nie. Ek ken 'n meisie wat in afval gekom het en sy het 'n gemors van haar lewe gemaak en ook swanger geword in 'n buite huwelikse verhouding, maar toe sy tot inkeer gekom het, het die Here haar gesond gemaak en Hy het vir haar 'n Christen man gegee.

Dit maak nie saak in watter soort omstandighede u in afval gekom het nie, dit gaan teen u draai en u gaan 'n prys daarvoor betaal. Kyk na die die verlore seun, hy het in varkhokke tussen varke beland en saam met hulle geëet, todat hy op sy knieë terug gekruip het.

Wat het met Abraham in Egipte gebeur? Hy is verneder! Hy het sy eie vrou verloën en probeer om haar aan 'n 'n ander man te gee. U sien, u kan nie Koning Jesus Christus ontmoet en nog dieselfde mens bly nie. U gaan of 'n baie beter mens word as u hom in volheid dien, of u gaan 'n baie slegter mens word as wat u voorheen in die wêreld was, as u Hom verloën.

As iemand tot bekering gekom het in Christus, en hy/sy val terug in die wêreld, dan sal so 'n mens in 'n morele verval kom waarin hulle nie voor hulle bekering was nie. Dit sal net soos in die geval van die verlore seun wees, en hulle gaan soos varke word, totaal onrein.

Abraham en die verlore seun het geëindig in 'n staat van vernedering, en as koning Hiskia geluister het na verkeerde advies, sou hy ook net so geëindig het. Dieselfde geld vir ons as ons na Egipte toe hardloop vir hulp sonder om God te raadpleeg, dieselfde sal met ons gebeur.

Hoe verder u in Egipte in beweeg hoe langer en moeiliker gaan dit neem om terug te keer, en u moet onthou dat die trek deur die woestyn 'n baie moeilike uiters warm droë lang trek gaan wees, en dit is ook 'n plek van die dood. Ek wil nie twee keer deur die woestyn trek nie!

Dit is 'n baie moeilike trek terug na Bet‐el, en u gaan weer begin waar u opgehou het, en dit gaan 'n groot vernedering wees.

Ons lewe in hierdie wêreld gaan gepaard met baie probleme en verdrukkings, maar van hierdie verdrukkings is deel van God se plan vir ons sodat ons ontslae kan raak van die ou vlees, ons sondige ou natuur, en die doel daarvan is om ons te slyp na die Beeld van die Seun van God, want Hy wat die werk in ons begin het sal dit voleiendig in die dag van Koning Jesus Christus. Bogenoemde dinge is van toepassing op die Kerk, die Bruid, in die geheel, en ook op enkelinge.

Dan is daar dinge wat met alle mense gebeur, gered en ongered, en die rede hiervoor is eenvoudig omdat ons in 'n gevalle wêreld lewe.

Almal word siek, almal sterwe, en dan is daar spesifieke werke van Satan wat teen die kinders van God kom wat God ook vir Sy eie doelwitte toelaat om te gebeur.

Daar is ook 'n vierde soort verdrukking, dit is die soort gemors waarin mense beland waaruit die Here mense normaalweg gered het, en die rede hiervoor is dat ons deel is van 'n gevalle mense ras en 'n gevalle wêreld, en ook omdat God dinge oor ons lewens gaan bring sodat ons ontslae kan raak van die ou sondige natuur en ook omdat ons almal die duiwel as vyand het, en dit is meer as genoeg probleme vir enige iemand, ons het niks meer nodig nie, en wanneer u by Egipte gaan aanklop vir hulp, dan gaan u kry waarna u nie gesoek het nie.

Ons is baie soos Abraham en ons gaan weer begin waar ons opgehou het. Ek ken mense wat van die Here teruggeval het en wat baie jare in die wêreld verlore laat gaan het, en hoe ver kon hulle nie gewees

het as dit nie met hulle gebeur het nie. Die Here kon hulle al met baie dinge geseën en gebruik het, en hoe 'n groot seën kon hulle nie al vir baie ander mense gewees het nie!

As die duiwel mense nie kan verlei of mislei deur hulle na Egipte te lok en daar te laat sondig nie, dan gaan hy probeer om 'n krisis in die mens se lewe te skep en die mens dan sodoende laat verstaan dat God hom verlaat het.

Abraham gaan verder van Bet‐el af na Hebron. Hebron beteken 'Gemeenskap'‐‐'Hitchavruth' wat beteken: Stene wat met sement saamgevoeg is.

1 Pet.2:5:‐‐"en laat julle ook soos lewende stene opbou, tot 'n geestelike huis, 'n heilige priesterdom, om geestelike offers te bring wat aan God welgevallig is deur Jesus Christus". Die Kerk is soos die Tempel. Daar is verskillende woorde in Grieks vir Tempel Naamlik: Naos, Oikos en Hieron, maar almal verwys op die een of ander manier na die die Kerk of die Gemeente. Ons, die Gemeente is die boustene van die Tempel. Petrus vertel vir ons dat ons die boustene van die Tempel is, en wat gebeur toe met die Jode van die dag van Johannes die Doper, toe hulle gedink het dat hulle uitsonderlik is omdat hulle besny is?

Hulle het gedink dat omdat hulle Jodes is, dat hulle is bo die Heidene verhewe is, hulle het gedink dat hulle iets spesiaals!, maar Johannes sê vir hulle dat God Abraham se kinders uit die klippe kan verwek, en op Palm Sondag, toe Koning Jesus na die Tempel Berg gekom het, het hulle die Hallel Rabba vir Hom gesing: Hoshanah, Hoshanah Baruch haba be'shem Adonai‐‐‐ Hosanna aan die Seun van Dawid. Die Sanhadrin sê dat die mense moet stil bly maar Koning Jesus sê vir hulle dat as die Jode Hom nie vereer nie dan sal die Christene dit doen. Dit is soos wat die Jode die Skrifte verklaar, en is dit nie jammer dat ons met ons Westerse denke so baie diepte uit die Skrifte verloor het nie!

DIE Boustene Van Die Tempel.

ns is die Huis van God, die Tempel, en Hebron is die plek van Gemeenskap, maar Abraham het in Hebron onder die eike van Mamre gewoon. Mamre is die Hebeeuse woord wat vir stewigheid en sterkte gebruik word. Mamre is 'n plek van krag, en dit was vir Abraham net moontlik om sy swaer Lot en sy familie te red toe hy in Mamre gebly het. Daar is niks verkeerd om na 'n kerk toe te gaan nie, want partymaal is Bet‐el 'n goeie plek om te wees in sekere tye, Bet‐el is 'n plek waar jy kan tent opslaan om te oornag, maar dit is nie 'n plek waar jy vir jou 'n kasteel kan oprig en jou permanent kan vestig nie!

Mense wat in Sigem woon is mense wat tot persoonlike kennis van Jesus Christus gekom het, maar dit is so ver as wat hulle kom. Mense gaan na enige kerk toe omdat dit vir hulle interesant is, en gewoonlik dink hulle hulself in as Evangeliste, maar hulle is dit beslis nie, maar hulle gaan ook nie verder nie.

Mense wat in Sigem bly praat baie van die dinge van Sigem, en die Evangelie, want dit is al waaroor hulle kan praat, dit is al kennis wat hulle van die dinge van die Here het.

As ons die Woord van die Here verkondig dan is ons veronderstel om met mense te praat wat geen of baie min kennis van die Evangelie het nie. Maar wat van die mense wat in Bet‐el bly?

Wanneer u iemand sien wat kerk toe gaan en ook dieselfde tyd 'n verhouding met die wêreld aan die gang het, dan sien u die beeld van mense wat nie hulle rug op Ai gedraai het nie. Wanneer u mense sien

www.Moriel.org

wat Sondae kerk toe gaan maar niks te doen wil hê met Woensdae bidure nie omdat hulle 'wêreldse' verpligtinge het, maar sit en TV kyk, dan moet u weet, hulle is Bet‐el bewoners en hulle het nie hulle rug geraai op Ai nie. Miskien is hulle Sigem bewoners! Daar is 'n beter manier om hulle uit te ken, kyk na Hebron. Stene wat in 'n muur ingebou is en wat deur die Heilige Gees aan mekaar vas gesement is. Dit is waarvan Koning Jesus praat van die laaste dae, "Nie een steen sal op die ander bly staan nie" Want wanneer die Heilige Gees weggeneem is, dan sal die eenheid in die Kerk geskud word, en dit sal 'n tyd wees van groot vervolging en verdukking en ook die tyd wanneer die Getroue Christene weggeraap sal word. Wat in 70 N.C gebeur het sal aan die eiende weer gebeur. As u 'n kerk sien met net hier en daar 'n steen in sy mure en met 'n hoop stene in die middel van die vloer, dan moet u weet dat dit nie 'n baie goeie gebou is nie, en dit is die teken van 'n Bet‐el gemeente.

Van die gemeentelede kan al gered wees vir 5 tot 20 jaar, maar hulle weet vandag nog nie of hulle 'n voet of 'n oog in die Gemeente is nie. Hulle weet nie wat hulle Gawes is om vir die Here te werk nie.

Hierdie is baie goeie mense, maar hulle is 'n hoop stene in die middel van die vloer en hulle is nie in die mure vas gesement nie. By berekening kan daar vandag gesê word dat byna 85% van Wedergebore Christene, Bet‐el bewoners is. In die meeste kerke word 90% van die gebede, en die getuienise, en die gee van gawes en bedieninge, deur net 10% van die gemeentelede gedoen.

So kan ons hierdie gemeentelede onder dieselfde kam skeer as die hiper geloof akteurs wat in kerke van vandag optree, en dit mag nie so wees nie.

Op hierdie manier gaan u nie u broeder of suster red uit die hand van die bose konings nie. Vandag gaan ons kinders na skole en kry te doen met dinge soos Aquarius, Gemini, Capricorn en Scorpio, en dit is niks anders as die Newe Age infiltreering in die Westerse denkes nie, en dit is niks anders as om die fondasie van die Bybelse Christene te ondergrawe nie. Wil u weet waarom die Westerse beskawings en Protestantse demokrasieë besig is om polities en ekonomies te verval! Dit is omdat daar weg beweeg word van die Bybelse riglyne wat vir baie jare as 'n fondasie gedien het. Hierdie fondasie is vernietig in die skole, ekonomie en in die kulture van baie volkere, dit is waarom bose magte ooral besig is om alles in 'n grootskaalse skrootwerf te laat verval.

Die bose konings het Lot en sy hele huis ontvoer en Abraham het hulle gaan red.

Maar dink u dat u vandag u broer en suster kan gaan red deur om na 'n kerk toe te gaan? Islam is besig om oral in die wêreld uit sy nate te bars en Islam plaas mense onder 'n geestelike, fisisie en sielkundige gebondnheid wat niks anders as 'n vesting van Lucifer is nie.

Daar is nie kerk in die Westerse wêreld wat 'n Moskee kan aanvat en oorwin nie, nee, om 'n Moskee aan te vat moet daar 'n gebonde gemeenskap bestaan wat deur die Heilige Gees, aan mekaar gebonde is.

Hebron is 'n plek van gemeenskap, die Eike van Mamre, dit is die plek waar Abraham was, en dit is van daar af dat hy gegaan het om die gesteelde goedere, die familie skatte weer terug te kry en ook om sy broer en suster te red uit die hand van die bose konings, die konings van Sodom. Hierdie konings van Sodom gaan dit weer doen maar hierdie keer gaan God self sy Bruid red.

Die redding van Lot en sy familie is 'n voorspel van die Wegraping van die Kerk, of die Bruid van Christus. Let op, ons sien dat daar in die tyd van Sodom en Gomora 'n totale verwoesting plaasgevind het.

Terwyl al hierdie misleiding en verleidings oral in die wêreld besig is om die kerke op grootskaal in te filtreer gaan die mense nog steeds na Bet‐el, en ek sê dit nie as 'n aanklag nie. Ek het ook baie foute en probleme in my lewe en tog is daar mense wat in my glo. Wat ek egter hier wil sê is dat ons in die moeilikheid is, en ons is besig om op grootskaal te verloor, ons is 'n klomp stene in die middel van die vloer.

Laodicéa is 'n middelklas Christen gemeenskap, en Koning Jesus sê hulle moet salf kry vir hulle oë sodat hulle kan sien.

Die eerste probleem met Laodicéa is dat hulle nie weet dat hulle Laodicéa is nie, en u moet oplet wat gebeur, kyk na u kinders, na u land. Amerika en Kanada en die res van die wêreld is nie beter af nie.

Abraham se reis is ons reis, en iewers op die wêreldkaart is u. Hier speel 'n klein kindjie en hy weet nie dat hy in Ur by die Chaldeërs is nie. Hy is nog nie 'n gelowige nie, maar deur sy gelowige ouers se onderig is God alreed besig om hom nader te trek vir 'n verhouding met Sy Seun, Jesus Christus, en wanneer hierdie kind Koning Jesus geleer ken het, dan sal hy eendag terug kyk na sy lewe en hy sal waarneem dat alles in sy verlede en sy toekoms nou vir hom sin maak. Miskien is daar van hierdie kindertjies al in Haran, in 'n krisis tyd van hulle lewe.

As u nie wedergebore is nie en u ken Koning Jesus nog nie, dan is dit miskien die rede waarom u hier lees. Miskien is u lewe in krisis, hetsy of in 'n verdrukking, of finansieël of enige iets anders, maar u het tot die besef gekom dat dit tyd geword het dat u ernstig moet besin oor u lewe, en die groot vraag wat u uself moet vra is: Waar gaan ek, of wil ek die ewigheid sluit?

Die Evangelie is baie eenvoudig en dit is die mees basiese leerstellings in die wêreld, self 'n kind kan dit verstaan, God het ons gekep om Sy kinders te wees, en die Here se Wil is dat ons God se Skepping saam met Hom moet deel net soos wat u u lewe en goedere met u kinders deel, maar ons het God se liefde verwerp en so het ons in rebellie teen God se gesag gekom en so het ons die weg van die dood gekies. God het Mens geword in die Persoon van Jesus Christus, Sy Seun, ons Messias, sodat ons deur Hom, Jesus Christus, weer tot God, ons Hemelse Vader kan terugkeer.

God het al die verkeerde dinge wat ek en u gedoen het, geneem en dit op Sy Seun geplaas. "Hy wie geen sonde gehad nie, het vir ons sonde geword" Toe het God Koning Jesus se geregtigheid geneem en dit vir ons gegee as ons ons sonde bely tot ons Hemelse Vader en Sy Seun Jesus Christus aanneem as ons Middelaar en Verlosser, en ons lewe aan Hom toewei. Dan sal Hy in ons kom woon en van ons 'n Nuwe Skepsel maak‐‐‐DIT IS OM WEDERGEBORE TE WORD.

Toe Koning Jesus op die Kruis gesterf het, het ek en u saam met hom gesterf, maar toe Hy opgestaan het, het ons saam met Hom opgestaan as 'n Nuwe Skepping, en eendag gaan Koning Jesus terugkeer om te kom haal die wat aan Hom behoort.

Aanvaar u dat Koning Jesus die volle prys vir u sondes betaal het, of gaan u self betaal vir u sondeskuld? En weet dit verseker, die Hel is 'n werklikheid!

Matthéus gee vir ons die mees omvattende oorsig oor Koning Jesus se lewe en Sy bediening. In hierdie Boek praat Koning Jesus twee keer meer oor die Hel as oor die Hemel. Nie net sê onse Here dat die Hel 'n werklikheid is nie, Hy sê ook dat die meeste mense daarheen op pad is, en dit is so onodig en tragies omdat God vir ons almal 'n Weg deur Koning Jesus voorberei het om nie daarin te beland nie. DIT IS DIE EVANGELIE VAN REDDING.

Miskien is u in Haran, of miskien wil u na Sigem gaan. Miskien het u Koning Jesus vandag in u lewe ontvang, maar die vraag is: Waar gaan u môre wees?

Mense swerf rond van plek tot plek, hulle soek 'n kerk wat na hulle smaak is, dit is niks anders as die selfgesentreerde Westerse Christendom wat glad en geheel nie by die Woord van die Here inpas nie. Die Woord van die Here sê: Pr. 11:25: "Wie 'n ander voorspoed gun, sal self oorvloed hê. Wie die dors van ander les, sal self genoeg kry as hy dors is".‐["Die siel wat seën, word versadig; en hy wat laaf, word self ook gelaaf".]

Hoe gaan onse Here voorsien aan ons behoefdes? Hy gaan vir u en my gebruik om na ander se behoeftes om te sien. Maar ons self gesentreerde, inplaas van Christen gesentreerde lewenswyse gaan bepaal na wat se soort kerk toe ons sal gaan. Wanneer u die Here raadpleeg om u te lei na 'n gemeente toe, dan gaan dit nie kerk wees wat gaan voldoen aan u voorskrifte nie, nee, dit gaan 'n gemeente wees waar u gaan omsien na die behoeftes van ander mense in die gemeente, dit is waar en hoe onse Here vir my en u gaan gebruik. Hy gaan vir u en my gee wat ons nodig het.

Miskien is u in Bet‐el en u is 'n goeie en getroue kerk bywoner en ook deel van die gemeenskap. Kom ons kyk na Bet‐el.

Die groot vraag is dit: Het u u rug gedraai op Ai? Gaan u by die kerk se deure uitloop en 'n sigaret opsteek?

Kom ons kyk na die Boek Amos 5:5: "Maar soek Bet‐el nie, en kom nie na Gilgal nie (Al hierdie dinge beteken iets in Hebreeus) en trek nie deur na Berséba nie. Want Gilgal sal gewis in ballingskap gaan, en Bet‐el sal tot niks word nie".

Sien u wat hier gesê word: Moet nie terug gaan na Bet‐el toe nie? In Bet‐el gaan daar moeilikheid kom! Let baie goed op, vroeër of later gaan dit gebeur, as dit nie alreeds gebeur het nie, Bet‐el gaan probleme optel en die kerk gaan jou baie ernstig teleurstel omdat die kerk bestaan uit mense soos ek en jy.

In Bet‐el gaan u nie vastigheid, of 'n stewige fondasie kry nie, en as daar storms of aardbewings kom dan gaan hy inmekaar stort.

Moet nie dink dit gaan net gebeur met die kerke waar akteurs mense mannipuleer en vir hulle groot aardse rykdomme en weelde belowe en waar daar baie mense is nie.

Kerke soos Rhema is niks nie, kyk na P.T.L. Ministries van Jim en Pam Baker in Amerika, dit is moontlik die grootste bediening in die wêreld, dit het reg begin maar hulle liefde vir geld en weelde, die materialistiese Mammon van die wêreld, en geestelike hoogmoed het hulle in 'n totale valsheid laat eindig.

Ons sien 'n astronomiese groei in hierde soort kerke, maar hulle gaan eendag inmekaarstort, hierdie plekke sal nie kan staan in die storms en aardbewings wat kom nie, want wanneer daar 'n groot verdrukking kom gaan die mense wat kleef aan 'n valse geloof en leuens, eerste tot 'n val kom, hulle huise gaan inmekaar stort.

Kyk na Hebr. 11, die Geloof hoofstuk van die Woord van die Here. Hier lees ons meer oor geloof as in die res van die Nuwe Testament. Hier sien ons 'n kombinasie van goeie en slegte dinge omdat dit die riglyne van 'n geloofslewe is, eerstens die goeie dinge, maar dan ook die slegte dinge!.

Kyk na die einde van Vers 35: "Vroue het hulle dode deur opstanding teruggekry, en ander is gefolter en wou geen bevryding aanneem nie, om 'n beter opstanding te kan verkry".

Dan kry ons leuenaars soos Kenneth Hagin wat deur die Rhema kerk gepromoveer word wat sê dat jy nie nodig het om swaar te kry nie want jy is 'n Konings kind? Wel, vriend, vriendin, broer suster‐‐die Apostels het groot verdrukkinge gely en net so ook die Joodse Profete. Die enigste rede waarom dit vandag nog met ons goed gaan is omdat die bloed van die Martelare vandag nog vir ons rus en vrede gee. Martelare soos Tyndale wat se geloof op die Bybelse Fondasie gebou was, dit is die enigste rede!

Hierdie mense moet dit vir die Christene in Noord Nigerië en Saudi Arabië en in Shina gaan vertel, dit is plekke waar die Christene onder dreigemente van die dood en moord lewe. Ook moet hulle gaan kyk na die lewe van die vroeë Hervormers en die Babtiste wat die Fondasie van ons kerke van vandag is, wat onder baie groot verdrukkings gelê is. Ander is bespot, geslaan, in stukke gesaag!

Die akteurs van vandag ry rond in duur motors en vliegtuie, en hulle bly in paleise en 5 ster hotelle!‐‐Wie is hulle??‐‐‐‐Is dit die Bet‐el van vandag?

Hebr. 11:36‐40: "Ander weer het die proef van bespottinge en geselinge deurstaan, ook van boeie en gevangenis. Hulle is gestenig, in stukke gesaag, versoek, deur die swaard vermoor. Hulle het rondgeloop in skaapvelle en in bokvelle; hulle het gebrek gely, hulle is verdruk, mishandel‐‐die wêreld was hulle nie werd nie‐‐hulle het in woestyne rondgedwaal en op berge en in spelonke en skeure in die grond. En alhoewel hulle almal deur die geloof getuienis ontvang het, het hulle die belofte nie verkry nie, omdat God iets beters oor ons beskik het, sodat hulle nie sonder ons volmaak sou word nie"

Of die Bybel is die waarheid, of Kennith Hagen en Ray McCauly is reg. U kan of in die Geloof van die Woord van God glo, of u kan glo wat hierdie soort manne vertel, besluit self! Iemand is besig met 'n grootskaalse leuen. Timothéus sê vir ons dat as iemand wil ryk word, dan gaan hy sy geloof verloor. Amos 4:4‐5: "Kom na Bet‐el, en sondig! Na Gilgal, sondig nog meer! En bring julle slagoffers in die môre en julle tiendes al om die derde dag. En laat van wat gesuurd is, 'n lofoffer rook, en roep vrywillige offers uit, laat dit hoor! Want so is dit na julle sin, kinders van Israel, spreek die Here HERE. Is u lief vir u kerk?

Bring u 'n offer wat met suurdeeg opgeblaas is na die tabernakel? Suurdeeg is 'n simbool van sonde. 1 Kor.5.

Sondig u in die kerk, in Bet‐el? U sê: Ek betaal my tiendes, en ek bring my offers, en ek gaan kerk toe. Ja, so maak die Moslems ook 5 keer op 'n dag. Dit word godsdiens genoem. Maar daar is 'n groot fout! Dit is glad en geheel NIE die Christen leefwyse volgens die Woord van die Here nie! Gaan na Bet‐el en sondig, maar kom eerder na Hebron en wen.

Ek weet nie waar u u bevind nie, miskien is u in Egipte? Miskien is u iemand wat die Liefde en die Vergifnis van Koning Jesus al geondervind het, en omrede die verlange van die ou natuur wat in almal van ons is, u oorval het, het u op die een of ander wyse weg gedwaal van Koning Jesus Christus af, en u het dinge in eie hande geneem en teruggekeer na die wêreld.

Broer, suster, vriend, kind, u is besig om baie tyd te verkwis. Vyf of tien jaar is niks gereken teenoor die ewigheid nie, maar teenoor die baie kort tyd van ons lewense hier op die aarde is dit baie. Moet nie verder met hierdie verkwisting voortgaan nie want u gaan baie sleg verneder word onder die leiding van Farao, die duiwel. Gaan terug na Bet‐el maar beweeg aan, draai u rug op Ai, wandel onder die Eike van Mamre, gaan na Sigem en kom by Hebron uit, dit is waar God vir u en vir my gaan gebruik. Die Here Seën u. †††


By David Passmore May 30, 2026
Staying The Course Amidst Isolation Rubin Rothler LLB, LLM Living in Israel one gets the feeling that the metaphorical walls are closing in. Israel's reputation is being tarnished all over social media and the mainstream media, and this is reflected in massive public disdain towards this country. We are constantly told that there is near consensus amongst academics and commentators that a genocide was committed in Gaza. The very legitimacy of the state is brought into question. The majority of Americans are now hostile towards Israel. There is real fear that the next U.S. administration will turn against Israel. Even if this were to happen passively, by the U.S. refraining from exercising its veto power towards Security Council Resolutions condemning Israeli actions this could be catastrophic. Internally it is a fractured society leaning increasingly right wing which further alienates Israel from world opinion. An example in point is how Ben Gvir mocked the most recent participants of a global aid flotilla to Gaza. Such conduct further agitates outrage at Israel. The left-wing media presents the ruins of Gaza as a mortal wound in Israel's side. When the world observes this level of carnage no degree of public relations can ameliorate the sense of indignation towards Israel. We can liken the situation of Israel to that of a depressed person. All he sees is hopelessness and gloom. But this isn't the first time that the Jewish nation has been faced with such darkness. Things change and we don't know how the geo-political map will reconfigure in the future. We need to ride out this storm and keep going. On a historical note, the situation is reminiscent of what our ancestors faced when we returned from the Babylonian exile to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah was faced with constant lies and conspiracies designed to entrap him by hostile actors: Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite and Geshem the Arab. They employed deception, slander and ridicule in order to maintain their political eminence. There was also a certain sense of abandonment amongst the Jews in Israel then as in our own day. We read in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah about the anguish of the leadership in Israel concerning the lack of assistance from the Babylonian diaspora towards the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem and the Temple. Only 20% of the exiles returned to the land. It was largely the poor who returned. Most of the affluent, established Jews remained in Exile. This is a continuing theme in Jewish history. It is also important to observe that from its very beginnings there were bible believing Christians who spearheaded the return of the Jews to their land. The idea of organizing a return of the Jews to Israel began as a Protestant Restorationist objective that can be traced to 17th century Puritan England. The protagonists of the Cromwellian Republic viewed themselves as the new Israel fighting the Papist forces of Satan. Alongside this, interest grew in the notion that biblical prophecies pertaining to the return of the Jews to Israel were a necessary precursor for the return of Christ. The growth of the British Empire in the 19th century lent political clout to Christian Restorationism with specific missions to the Jews established. Although there had been a longing to return to Israel as written in the thrice daily Amidah prayer, Jewish Zionism arose in the midst of mid nineteenth century nationalism and was further fermented by European antisemitism. It was an altogether secular enterprise. Although Israel's situation appears rather stark, we can draw strength from the Providence afforded to our ancestors in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah when they too were faced with defamation. This is also an opportunity to grow closer to our natural allies in the evangelical world who from the beginning of Zionism were steadfast supporters of the project to establish a Jewish homeland in Israel.  (Author is an Israeli American lawyer academically qualified in British and in U.S.A. law, and a graduate of the School of Oriental & African Studies, London. He is a Jewish believer in Jesus and is currently based in Israel).
By David Passmore May 25, 2026
Signs of the Times Tony Pearce ‍ ‍ Left, right or center – is our democracy in danger “Things fall apart, the center does not hold. Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.” W.B Yeats ‘The Second Coming. ’ ‍ ‍ Labour’s losses in the council elections and the battle for succession to their unpopular leader Kier Starmer have raised the possibility that we may soon have our seventh Prime Minister in ten years. Local elections saw Reform and the Greens make sweeping gains, leading Green Party leader, Zack Polanski to say that we are seeing ‘the end of the old two party system’. Maybe we are. In which case what comes next? Will we head to the far left, the far right or will the center hold on to power? Or will it end with ungovernable chaos as unqualified people take control of local and national government? Behind all this there are fundamental questions, ‘What is government for? Who does it represent and where is it going?’ ‍ ‍‍ ‍ According to the Bible (Romans 13) the purpose of government is to promote good and restrain evil. The government has the right to raise taxes for the common good of society and people should pay them. In 1 Timothy 2 Paul encourages us to pray for the government that ‘we may live a godly and peaceable life’. In other words, pray that the government will create an orderly and peaceful society and not interfere with our right to set up communities that teach and preach the Word of God. The situation becomes more difficult when we see government promoting things which are harmful and restraining things which are good and clamping down on freedom of speech with a threat to our ability to live a ‘godly and peaceable life’ ‍ Since becoming a Christian in my early twenties, I have wrestled with the question of how our faith applies to contemporary political issues. I started this quest on the left politically after leaving university and working as an English teacher with sympathies for Marxism. I then became a born again Christian in 1970, and joined my late wife Nikki in evangelizing the radical left, by handing out leaflets at their marches and demonstrations in London and attending their meetings to discuss matters of faith and politics with them. ‍ ‍‍ ‍ We had some good discussions with people and hope we made some consider the Christian alternative. However as we looked at Marxism from a Christian point of view and its practice in Communist countries, we understood that behind this ideology there is a strong anti-christian spirit. It denies the existence of God and promotes the idea of human perfectibility by our own effort. This is exemplified in the words of the Internationale, the socialist battle hymn, ‘No saviour from on high delivers, no faith have we in prince or peer, our own right hand the chains will shiver, chains of hatred, greed and fear.’ This Antichrist spirit led to the persecution of Christians in the Communist countries of eastern Europe, the Soviet Union and China. Far from creating the socialist paradise on earth that Lenin wrote about in ‘Socialism and Religion’, it created a society ruled by hatred, greed and fear, controlled by secret police, prison camps and responsible for the death of millions. ‍ ‍ In western society we have witnessed the growth of ‘cultural Marxism’ a movement aimed at infiltrating and changing society from within, rather than fomenting the workers’ revolution. Labour’s Fabian Society, with its (now discarded) logo of the wolf in sheep’s clothing, has been engaged in this process since the beginning of the 20th century. Social change really took off with the permissive society in the 1960s, which succeeded in changing traditional values, especially in the area of sex and the family. It replaced biblical values with a new ‘morality’ that is fundamentally anti Christian. These ideas have permeated large swathes of our society including the education system, the judiciary, the Civil Service, much of the media, mainstream political parties (including even the Conservative ‘wets’ and parts of the established church). ‍ ‍ Melanie Phillips describes the results of this in her book, ‘The Builder’s Stone.’ ‘Having decided that the West was rotten to the core, western elites set out to create a new culture that would usher in the brotherhood of man and eradicate hatred, prejudice, and war. Their Brave New World junked biblical religion with all its constraints on behaviour and revolved instead around self gratification. Everybody had the right to live as they wanted; nobody could say that their way of life was better or worse than anyone else’s; no one had the right to say that their culture was better than any other culture. That was ‘racism.’ At the heart of all this was the doctrine that there was no such thing as objective truth. Everything was relative; everything was a matter of opinion. Because there was no truth feelings became more important than facts. So the West abandoned the codes of morality, conscience, truth and lies, personal responsibility, and duty to others in favour of a culture of the self. In the process it junked its inherited traditions and biblical codes on which western culture was based.’ ‍ Britain changed from being a society that respected values based on the 10 Commandments and the teaching of Jesus Christ to one that discarded them for relative values. Ideas of ‘diversity, inclusion and equity’ became the norm, together with and a form of ‘tolerance’, that is really very intolerant if you oppose it. This ‘tolerance’ means accepting the virtues of multiculturalism and humanism and believing that all gods are equally valid or true (or none are). We must also accept that all lifestyles and family arrangements including homosexual and transsexual ones are just as valid as traditional two parent heterosexual families, with a father and mother committed to each other in lifelong matrimony looking after their own children. ‍ As society accepts this radical change in how we view culture, morality and religion, we are told not to criticize other cultures and world views or imply that they are anything less than equal to the culture, morality and faith derived from the Bible. ‍ All this has not improved society. Instead we have a collapse of values with no central idea to hold it together, just a group of competing ‘communities’ which are often only united in opposition to the traditional values and culture of Great Britain. A good example of this is the ‘red – green alliance’ of radical leftists and Islamists who come together to denounce Israel and campaign to ‘globalise the Intifada’. In practice this means a world wide war against Israel and Judaeo-Christian society and a desire to replace it with their version of either Islamism or Communism. However if one of them were to come to power, you can be sure that the Islamist’s would get rid of the leftists or vice versa. In fact that happened in Iran’s 1979 revolution, when Islamist supporters of Khomeini and Communists came together to get rid of the Shah. Then the Islamists seized power, turned on the Communists and wiped them out. ‍ Alisteir Heath wrote in the Daily Telegraph: ‘Ruined by decades of political vandalism, the Britain we knew and loved, a land of stability, pragmatism, and ancient freedoms, is no more. Today’s UK is uglier, impoverished, volatile and disorderly. We’ve lost our level-headedness. Anger and frustration have become our defining emotions. Our institutions have wasted away, and we have been taught to despise our history. The decline of family, community and faith have led to alienation, dependence on welfare and the rise of novel ideologies, mostly secular but also sectarian, turbocharged by social media. While the state becomes unnervingly authoritarian, the air reeks of insurrection and every variety of extremism. The British public’s sense of betrayal is as well-founded as it is dangerous. The machinery of state is incompetent and self-serving, a vehicle for social engineering in the global interest.’ ‍ ‍ ‍ Criticism of this process now risks being classed as ‘hate crime’ with a growing authoritarian society monitoring social media posts and public teaching of alternative ideas in ways which risk shutting down free speech in our society. A Christian teacher Enoch Burke is currently in prison in Dublin after he was suspended from his job and jailed after refusing to accept and teach transgenderism in the school. ‍ ‍ ‍ Nick Timothy, Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, got into trouble when he questioned mass Muslim prayer in Trafalgar Square. He wrote: ‘Mass ritual prayer in public places is an act of domination. The adhan – which declares there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger – is, when called in a public place, a declaration of domination. The domination of public places is straight from the Islamist playbook.” He is right in this. Allah hu Akhbar actually means Allah is greater, greater than your God, Muhammad is greater than Jesus and the Koran is greater than the Bible. ‍ ‍ ‍ Tim Dieppe of Christian Concern for our Nation wrote: “The fact that we have mass Islamic prayer in Trafalgar Square at all is indicative of the massive culture change that we have seen in the last few decades. A culture change that was not voted for or ever agreed to by the British people. And, a culture change that can hardly be described as having been entirely beneficial to our culture as a whole. I only need to mention grooming gangs involving mostly Pakistani Muslim men , sharia courts, honour crimes, terror attacks, the assassination of an MP, an attempt to blockade Parliament, mass antisemitic marches through London, a convicted terrorist standing for local elections, sectarianism, and many other examples to make the point. Earlier this month, the Government gave Muslims special protection with the adoption of an official definition of anti-Muslim hostility .” ‍ ‍ ‍ You are not really supposed to question this in public life today. A message circulating on social media is an apt commentary on all this. ‘First they overlook evil, then they permit evil, then they legalise evil, then they promote evil, then celebrate evil, then persecute those who call it evil.’ Soviet dissident Solzhenitsyn wrote: ‘A Communist system can be recognised by how it spares criminals and criminalises its opponents.’ ‍ ‍ ‍ The root cause of all this is the rejection of God and biblical values. The 18th-century French philosopher Joseph de Maistre coined the phrase "people get the government they deserve." David Pawson followed up on this idea, arguing that in democratic societies like ours, the moral and spiritual condition of a nation's citizens is directly reflected in the leaders they elect. If the general public abandons moral truths, they will inevitably vote for governments that reflect those same compromises. David Pawson taught that God may use governmental leadership to judge or bless a nation, depending on the people's obedience. He noted that Hebrew prophets saw wicked rulers as a form of divine judgement on a society that has strayed from God's laws. Therefore a nation's ultimate hope rests on repentance rather than just political change. His conclusion is that Christians should actively stand for moral truth in society. He believed that the church is meant to influence culture upward, and that a decline in national morality inevitably leads to deteriorating governance. ‍ ‍ ‍ Sadly much of the church today has become the ‘salt that has lost its savour’ through compromise with antichristian forces in society and government. It may be too late to save our country and western democracy as social and economic pressures create a collapse of democracy and push us either towards anarchy or dictatorship. ‍ ‍ ‍ Yeats’ poem quoted at the beginning of this article ends with the enigmatic line ‘Some rough beast slouches towards Bethlehem to be born.’ Most likely he is referring to the coming anti-Messiah who is labelled the Beast in the book of Revelation. Many believe his is now waiting in the wings to replace the true Messiah (born in Bethlehem) and bring in the dictatorship prophesied in Revelation 13. The Bible indicates that the Beast or Antichrist will have power for a moment, but it will be short lived and doomed to destruction at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to the earth. Then the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdom of our God and of His Messiah and He shall reign forever and ever (Revelation 11.15) and the ‘government shall be on His shoulder’ (Isaiah 9.6). ‍ ‍ ‍ Maranatha come Lord Jesus. ‍ ‍ ‍ Water, water nowhere and not a drop to drink. (Apologies to the Ancient Mariner) ‍ ‍‍ ‍ While nations worry about supply of oil and gas as a result of the war in the Gulf and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a much more vital commodity for human survival is water. And it is in short supply in a growing number of nations. ‍ ‍ As of 2026, over 25 countries face extremely high water stress, with the most severe crises located in the Middle East and North Africa. This region is home to the world's most water-stressed nations, including Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Yemen, and Libya. India and Pakistan face critical water scarcity due to overexploitation of aquifers and population density. Much of Africa , Somalia and Ethiopia in particular are facing severe shortages due to drought and climate change. Mexico and parts of the United States (particularly Texas and the west coast) are experiencing significant water shortages and declining groundwater levels. ‍ ‍ ‍ Iran is facing a severe, multi-year water crisis as of May 2026, with major cities like Tehran, Mashhad, and Karaj approaching the point where taps could run dry due to depleted reservoirs. Groundwater is depleted across most of the country, and nineteen provinces are experiencing severe drought. The crisis is driven by a combination of climate change and decades of poor water management, including excessive dam construction and inefficient, water-intensive agriculture. China is facing a severe, multi-faceted water crisis defined by extreme scarcity in the north, widespread pollution, and mismanagement, threatening its food supply and economic growth. ‍ ‍ ‍ Several countries are significantly affected by upstream dam construction that reduces downstream water flow, causing, environmental, and diplomatic crises. These countries include Iraq, heavily impacted by dams built on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers by Turkey and Iran, leading to reduced water for agriculture, destruction of forests, and increased sandstorms. Egypt and Sudanface significant water security risks due to the Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile. Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Laosare affected of dams built by China on the upper Mekong River ‍ ‍ One country which bucks this trend is Israel. Israel manages its water resources by transforming a chronic shortage into a surplus through large-scale desalination, extensive wastewater recycling, and a centralised national water carrier system. The agriculture sector has shifted away from freshwater, using treated effluent instead. Advanced drip irrigation technologies are widely used to minimise waste. Israel has exported its water technologies to countries around the world, particularly Africa where it has given advice on how to use limited water resources to great effect. ‍ ‍ ‍ Without water no society on earth can survive. Bible prophecies indicate that water shortage and pollution will be a global problem in the last days. Most obviously no water equals no food, so famine is an inevitable result of water shortages. Jesus warned of this as a sign of the last days in Matthew 24.7. Revelation 8.10-11 speaks of something called ‘Wormwood’ falling on rivers and springs of water causing it to become bitter and many to die from drinking it. ‍ ‍ Prophecy speaks of the two great rivers of the ancient world, the Nile and the Euphrates, being affected by a crisis causing the Euphrates to dry up (Revelation 16.12) and the Nile to become contaminated and its waters turn foul (Isaiah 19.5-11). Isaiah 24 speaks of a curse devouring the earth in the last days causing the earth to be ‘defiled (or polluted) under its inhabitants.’ ‍ ‍ ‍ According to the New Scientist, there are massive amounts of water hidden deep beneath the Earth's surface. Scientists have found evidence of a reservoir of water three times the volume of all surface oceans combined, located roughly 250–400 miles underground within the mantle. ‍ ‍ ‍ It may be that the Lord will release this water to replenish and clean up the earth in the Millennial kingdom when ‘waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. The parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water.’ Isaiah 35. Zechariah 14.8-9 says, ‘In that day it shall be that living waters shall flow from Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea and half of them toward the western sea; In both summer and winter it shall occur. And the Lord shall be King over all the earth.’ Zechariah 14.8-9. See also Ezekiel 47. ‍ Rethinking Russia ‍ Things are not going well for Vladimir Putin in his ‘special military operation’. Four years after invading Ukraine in February 2022, Russia is not making advances and actually losing ground. Russia is losing as many as 25,000- 35,000 casualties a month and over 1.2 million have been killed and wounded since the war began. Ukrainian skills in drone warfare have destroyed large quantities of Russian equipment, tanks, armoured personnel carriers, artillery and rocket systems, helicopters, and naval vessels. ‍ ‍ Russia is spending an estimated 40% of the entire federal budget on the war effort. As a result of this and western sanctions, Russia is increasingly unable to fix chronic infrastructure problems at home. During the bitter Russian winter thousands of people were left without heat, light, or even water. All forms of transport, trains, trucks and planes, are facing logistical problems, making it difficult to transport goods and people across the vast Russian regions. Russia is on the way to an infrastructure collapse that will likely take decades to recover. ‍ ‍ Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov warned the State Duma that Russia's faltering economy risks stoking a 1917-style revolution. He demanded urgent financial and economic measures by autumn to avert a potential economic collapse. This raises the danger of the Russian Federation fracturing. The Caucuses are restive, the far east is looking to China and Siberia is facing an acute problem as a result of melting permafrost, causing buildings, bridges and pipelines to collapse. ‍ ‍ In the present circumstances it is hard to see how Russia could lead the Gog and Magog invasion of Israel (Ezekiel 38-39). Some have said that it is more likely that Turkey is the lead power in the War of Gog and Magog. They say that Meshech and Tubal are not Moscow and Tobolsk, but regions of modern Turkey. Erdogan’s Turkey is backed by an Islamist world view hostile to Israel, seeking the recovery of its Ottoman Empire. He has his eyes on taking control of Jerusalem. Turkey is possession of a large land army already stationed in the region, some of it occupying part of Syria. ‍ ‍ The alternative is that the War of Gog and Magog is some way off, possibly part of Armageddon, giving time for Russia to recover from its present distress. We wait and see, but meanwhile spare a thought and a prayer for the people of Ukraine and Russia, suffering as a result of Putin’s futile war, oppressed by his corrupt dictatorship and facing an economic and social collapse caused by his failed policies. ‍ ‍
By David Passmore May 25, 2026
Trump's Visit with Xi Rubin Rothler LLB, LLM The tempest path of Sino-U.S. tensions came to a head during Trump's first term in office with the outbreak of Covid. Many commentators believed that the deterioration in relations was in terminal decline and that a major confrontation in the straits of Taiwan was fast looming. Trump held China responsible for the spread of Covid, insisting that he would pursue reparations. The election of Biden halted this commitment. Biden sought a non-confrontational policy towards Beijing. In the aftermath of the disastrous premature withdrawal from Afghanistan handing that country over to the Taliban and the Russian invasion of Ukraine under his watch, Biden became too preoccupied to assertively engage with China. Chinese State media portrayed Trump's visit as being rather unremarkable in the context of other foreign dignitaries lining up to meet Xi, pointing out that just a week later Putin would arrive in Beijing. China manifests that it is winning the trade war that Trump began in 2018, beating America at its own game of capitalism. They frame the U.S. as being in a position of weakness because China is able to source whatever products they buy from the U.S. elsewhere like oil from Canada, and soybeans from Brazil. The oil, soybeans and 200 Boeing's Xi agreed to purchase from Trump were presented as a mere gesture to placate Trump as China has already bought 350 Air Buses in the last year. China would have the world believe that it is only semi-conductors where America has the edge. Here China hints that it is not likely to buy H200 Invidia Chips because it would mean that China will always lag behind the U.S. in building their AI tech. China's major contention and concern is that the U.S. may impose export controls to contain China. China's strategy instead is to invest massively on indigenous innovation. China wants to become an innovation powerhouse that will export its own Chips to the Global South. China is fast catching up with America's lead in AI with the launch of Deep Seek and they claim similar progress with Chip making. China is now ostensibly only eight months behind the U.S. on Large Language Models. Running contrary to this narrative Trump insists that China is desperate to trade with America. China's economy has now peaked. Emblematic of this stagnating growth is rising youth unemployment. China is no longer America's biggest trading partner. Trump has shifted manufacturing back to the U.S. and Trump believes that China can't revive its economy without America. Lined up to meet Xi with Trump were the heads of some of America's biggest Tech Corporations. Corporations like nvidia seek a relaxing of export controls for Chips as they want short term profits, ignoring the risk that China will reverse engineer this technology. More broadly, China and the U.S. are playing a geopolitical chess game spanning the globe. Trump outmaneuvered China in Latin America with the removal of Maduro from power in Venezuela. China is exploiting its influence on Iran in order to get Trump to refrain from taking more active steps towards the defense of Taiwan. Indeed, Trump didn't say anything about Taiwan during his visit. Trump's instincts are of a transactional approach towards alliances, where he is only willing to underwrite defense assistance if allies pay up as an insurer would. It is also important to note that saber rattling the Taiwan card also serves the CCP agenda to distract internal dissent concerning the state of the Chinese economy. Most imminently Trump needs China to pressure Iran to open the Straits of Hormuz and get oil prices down before the midterm elections. China has largely insulated itself from the Gulf energy impact due to stockpiles. Trump would also like China to stop providing Iran with GPS for its missiles. Other Chinese weapons systems and technology sold to Iran have failed to perform well against U.S. and Israeli military hardware. Matters boil down to a leverage between whatever Trump can do on Taiwan, China can do on the strait of Hormouz with Iran. Human Rights concerns, espionage and the alarming rate of Chinese acquisition of U.S. land have been placed on the back burner for the time being.  (Author is an Israeli American lawyer academically qualified in British and in U.S.A. law, and a graduate of the School of Oriental & African Studies, London. He is a Jewish believer in Jesus and is currently based in Israel).
By David Passmore May 17, 2026
Moriel & Jacob Prasch request prayer for Phil Malone and family “Please keep me and my family in prayer. My mum passed away on 13th May at the age of 93. It's a time of mourning, but may it be a time for the Gospel of Christ to be preached to my unbelieving family, especially my brother.”
By Mea Fredrickson May 13, 2026
Moriel & Jacob Prasch request prayer for Sister Joanne Rizzetto, wife of Pastor Dave Rizzetto of Church of The Open Door in New York City. Joanne has developed painful complications and adverse side effects from medications following knee surgery. May The Lord intervene for healing and give guidance to her physicians. Lord, we humbly ask you to intervene in the life of our dear sister. We know you can do all things and that you hear our prayers and consider your servants. Please put a stop to the adverse reaction. Restrain and reverse its effects and restore our sister so that she can continue to serve you in the ministry that you have called them to. We do glorify Your Name. We don't ask as those who treat you as our debtor, but as those who have tasted your goodness and found such mercy and compassion at your feet. Grace and peace and mercy be with Joanne and Pastor Dave.
By David Passmore May 5, 2026
Will Lebanon miss its golden opportunity? Rubin Rothler LLB, LLM Converging new facts on the ground have transformed the political landscape in Lebanon. With Assad removed from power in Syria, a vital lifeline of arms supplies for Hezbollah originating in Iran has diminished. Hezbollah suffered considerable losses in its last round of fighting with Israel. The decapitation of its leadership with the targeted pager attack inflicted a severe blow. Hezbollah's new leader Naim Qassem is a weak substitute for the charismatic Nasrallah who was assassinated by Israel in 2024. Hezbollah in its frail state foolishly fell into line with Iran's instruction to join the fighting against Israel following the recent American-Israeli war with Iran. This was contrary to the wishes of the Lebanese government which was fearful of the inevitable destruction that would be wreaked by the Israeli response. The differing attitudes to Israel amongst Lebanon's population is reflective of its ethnic composition. The predominant groups in order of plurality are Christians, Shia Muslims and Sunni Muslims with a smaller minority of Druze. The major concern of most Christians in Lebanon is the dire state of their economy. They have no appetite to further their plight by invoking Israel's rage. During the colonial inter war period the French envisaged the demarcation between Lebanon and Syria as carving out enclaves for Christian and Druze control. Within Lebanon there would be a shared government that by convention would have the Executive power split between a Christian President, a Sunni Prime Minister and Shia Speaker of Parliament. The Christians in southern Lebanon (particularly Maronite Catholics) saw themselves as being anthropologically descendants of ancient Phoenicians as opposed to an Arab identity where the Arab Christians were largely Eastern Orthodox. The schism between the Maronites and the Arab Eastern Orthodox dates back to the time of the Crusades. The Maronites were culturally French, speaking French as their main language and held precedence in much of the Lebanese economy. The first threat to Lebanese stability and cohesion was settled by the U.S. Eisenhower administration in 1958 which landed Marines in an amphibious operation. A repeated attempt at this by the Reagan administration in 1983 ended in a military disaster for the U.S. due to suicide bombings by Iranian controlled terrorists. Israeli efforts to bring in stability during the Lebanese Civil War in conjunction with its Lebanese Christian allies led by Major Saad Haddad likewise came to calamity when the Sabra and Shatila revenge attacks took place following the assassination of Lebanese leader Bashir Gemayel. The ''Good Fence'' policy of an Israeli friendly free Lebanon zone in Southern Lebanon eventually ended badly following Menachem Begin's second incursion into Lebanon called ''Shalom HaGalil'' aimed at stopping the PLO rocket attacks on Israeli border communities like Metulla, Kiryat Shmona, Naharya, Rosh Hanikra, Tzfat and Carmiel. The proxy Israeli occupation from the Israeli border to the Litani river became an imbroglio that many in Israel viewed as Israel's Vietnam with widespread domestic protest and a collapse of morale within the IDF. Eventually Israel absorbed Christian war refugees from Lebanon, while the Vatican and most of the Christian world turned their backs on the Lebanese Christians. Lebanon was then saddled with two states within a state. The first was in the aftermath of Black September in 1970 when King Hussein of Jordan defended his Hashemite throne and government from Yasser Arafat's attempt to take over Jordan due to Jordan having a 70% Palestinian Arab demographic majority. The Jordanian legion drove tens of thousands of its pro Arafat Jordanian citizens into Lebanon, creating a population base for the first state within a state under Arafat. However the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and other factions had their niche interests. Courtesy of the Israeli Air Force Arafat relocated what he saw as his government in exile to Tunisia. This was a missed opportunity by the Lebanese government to assert its autonomy and full territorial control by making a Camp David type peace with Israel inclusive of economic and mutual security provisions. Instead an Iranian backed Syrian intervention replaced Arafat's state within a state with a new one that morphed into Hezbollah. The fall of the Assad regime and the Israeli counter-offensive against Hezbollah re-presents Lebanon with the opportunity that it once lost. The predominantly Christian controlled Lebanese military could and should operationally coordinate with the IDF, to obliterate and remove Hezbollah as the Israelis relieved Lebanon of Arafat's state within a state. Such a rapprochement would likely have strong American and possibly French and British support, allowing Lebanon to be at a non-combative peace with Israel along the lines of Egypt and Jordan, and now some of the Emirates. The natural comradery of the Lebanese Druze community with the Israeli Druze and the pro-Israeli Druze of Syria would additionally re-enforce a regional harmony, as would the Maronite Christian community in Israel with their co-coreligionists in Lebanon.  (Author is an Israeli American lawyer academically qualified in British and in U.S.A. law, and a graduate of the School of Oriental & African Studies, London. He is a Jewish believer in Jesus and is currently based in Israel).
By David Passmore May 5, 2026
PASTOR JOHN ANGLISS It is with profound sadness that we learned of the temporary separation from our friend and brother Pastor John Angliss. We look forward to being reunited with John in the millennial reign of Christ and indeed in God's Eternal Kingdom. Jacob Prasch visited John a few weeks ago in the UK while John was in hospice care having been diagnosed preterminal in his illness. While medically correct, it was of course a misdiagnosis. John is now cancer free and is alive and well in the presence of Jesus awaiting us in glory while his mortal body is being renewed for resurrection and immortality. In the meanwhile, during this temporary season of bereavement we do request prayer for his beloved wife Mary and for his congregation, The Ark Fellowship in England near Reading, England. Because he has recently arrived in the USA and is scheduled to address the Moriel Canada branch conference in Winnipeg, Jacob Prasch will regrettably not be able to attend the memorial service in Britain. Our condolences however are very much with Mary and our brethren in the UK who like us knew and loved Pastor Angliss. John was one of a minority of faithful voices who upheld a traditional biblically based Pentecostalism in the era of counterfeit revivals and apostasy that overtook most of British Pentecostalism. John was a faithful friend of Israel & The Jews standing on the prophetic purposes of God for Israel and the salvation of the Jews. John was a loyal friend to Moriel and Jacob Prasch and a colleague of David Pawson and Derek Prince, both of whom likewise stood by God's promises to Israel. John was also a founding leader of CMFI - the Christian Ministerial Fellowship International, former pastor of Three Mile Cross fellowship , and former board member of Focus On Israel (a Pentecostal Ministry to the Jews). While this separation is temporary, John's eternal gain will be our temporary loss. O GRAVE - WHERE IS THEY VICTORY, O DEATH WHERE IS THY STING ? Hosea 13:14 / 1 Corinthians 15: 55-57
By David Passmore April 28, 2026
We made it this far: Israel at 78 Rubin Rothler LLB, LLM Since the last anniversary milestone of Israel at 75, we have been embroiled in relentless wars. Citizens had little respite to enjoy this year's festivities, coming on the heels of a lull in fighting on the Iranian and Lebanese fronts. We are constantly waiting for a breakthrough on the horizon that will normalize our relations with our neighbors and secure our position on the world stage. It is acutely exhausting to be the focus of the world's attention. But also there is a sense of inevitability accompanying the Zionist project. Specifically that Israel is destined to be central in the wider region and global affairs. Why is this? Is it due to it being a western transplant? Being geographically positioned on the crossroads of three continents? Religious believers would point to prophetic fulfillment. It is short sighted to only look at how our problems are rooted in today’s' reality. Greater forces are at work that will dictate the direction that Israel is heading. The Jewish diaspora will likely find itself in a growing precarious position that will lead to increasing Aliyah (immigration to Israel) and will perhaps ferment the emergence of a second Jewish commonwealth that will not need to heed international pressure in the same way that todays' polity finds itself doing. In this light it is interesting to ponder how our posterity would view our predicament and gains. And I frame matters in these terms with intentionality. We are enmeshed in a seemingly intractable conflict with the Palestinians, and yet Israel has made great gains particularly in the technological fields. There is a current of thinking that perceives Israel's way out of its quagmire is by making itself indispensable to technological advancements. We don't know how tomorrows' world will be shaped by the rapidly advancing AI revolution but so far Israel has proven to be uniquely adaptable and innovative to technological change. This has proved to be a boon to Israel's economy, as have offshore natural gas discoveries being developed in concert with Greece, Greek Cypriot and American energy interests that are geographically and strategically removed from any Straits of Hormuz shipping impediments that strangle the Persian Gulf deposits shared by Qatar and Iran. On another note we should contextualize the situation. How different are Israel's challenges from other nations? Is Israel any less stable than other countries (particularly in the region)? Israel doesn't find itself uniquely challenged to define its identity (most European countries do also, particularly in light of immigration). Nor does the government experience any more volatility than other comparable democracies. Israel's real problems lay in the nature of how its Jewish citizens desire to govern themselves. It is arguable whether the judicial reform protests that occupied public discourse in pre-October 7th Israel would have led to serious civil strife. But it is without doubt that this impasse was allayed by the external attack. The underlying tensions remain unresolved and there are many ways that they could play out. It has been framed as a battle for Israel's soul. Israel's enemies predict that Zionism is imploding and that the State won't survive another 5-10 years. Supporting this claim, they point to Israel's increasing alienation and growing pariah status on the international stage. Our Prime Minister has been indicted for war crimes at the International Criminal Court. Even public opinion in our staunchest ally the U.S. has turned sharply against Israel. With 80% of the Democratic Party being anti-Israel in a growing climate of anti-semitism we have even witnessed the shift of Alan Dershowitz to the Republican Party which must be seen as emblematic of a trend. There is apprehension in Israel of a post-Trump America dominated by the Democrats. However, these seeming incontrovertible facts may be offset by other measures of fortitude. This may be partially countered by the high investment by Silicon Valley in the Israeli Hi-tech sector, making Israel an asset for purposes of Research and Development in America's AI race against China. New opportunities for economic relations have also been opened with Arab nations through the Abraham Accords and with the powerhouse India. Furthermore, it is difficult to imagine a world in which Israel's technological prowess will not carry the sway of western decision makers in the long run. Israel's 78th anniversary is a moment to take pause and not catastrophize what the future may behold. The entire world is currently in a state of transformation and Israel is not an outlier in this context.  (Author is an Israeli American lawyer academically qualified in British and in U.S.A. law, and a graduate of the School of Oriental & African Studies, London. He is a Jewish believer in Jesus and is currently based in Israel).
By David Passmore April 23, 2026
Please click this link:https://mailchi.mp/christianconcern.com/action-alert-street-preaching-22-04-26?e=f1df30be3f
By David Passmore April 14, 2026
A critical juncture in NATO'S future Rubin Rothler LLB, LLM NATO was originally established in 1949 to keep the Russian hordes at bay from toppling those European countries not forked over to the Soviet sphere of influence at the Potsdam conference. Europe lay in ruins. Britain had passed on the torch of global hegemony to the U.S. by tacitly acquiescing to the decolonization of its Empire when Churchill and Roosevelt agreed terms of the Atlantic Charter for the post-war new world order in 1941. So from its start NATO was very much an American driven endeavor. American money with the Marshall plan was propping up western European economies and its military might was forming the bulk of their defensive capabilities. The lopsided nature of this dynamic has informed how tensions have persisted and recently erupted in the Alliance. During the Cold War the U.S. felt obligated to shoulder the costs of underwriting Europe's security in light of the broader interests to keep the Soviet's in check. Following the fall of the Iron Curtain European complacency became a sticking point with the 'peace dividend' further exploiting American largesse. European NATO allies spent ever smaller percentages of their GDP on defense expenditure at U.S. expense. Now in a multi-polar world U.S. and European perceived threats are less aligned. This was first tested in the aftermath of September 11th when for the first time NATO elected to trigger its article 5 collective defense protocol. And since then the U.S. has sought to continue to expand the traditional theatre of operations beyond Europe's borders. No longer is Russia perceived by America as being a proximate existential threat to its interests, but rather containing Chinese expansion in the Pacific arena. Parallel to NATO a discrete 'five eyes' intelligence sharing alliance comprising the Anglo-sphere (the U.S., U.K., Canada and New Zealand) emerged. This stands at the center of the U.S. – U.K. 'special relationship'. A relevant question would be can this signals intelligence (NSA-GCHQ) partnership persist should the U.S. withdraw from NATO? Conventional thinking would have led one to believe that with Brexit the U.K. would naturally pivot towards closer U.S. relations but under Starmer the U.K. is distancing itself. European powers misrepresent the present conflict as an aggressive, rather than defensive U.S. adventure while they themselves are more likely to be at risk. In this the Starmer government resembles the Labor party led committee for nuclear disarmament in the 1980's. It opposed the Thatcher supported deployment of U.S. cruise missiles in response to the Soviet SS20's pointed at Britain's cities. The British left branded their response to Soviet strategic escalation to U.S. aggression. This time however there is for the moment no Thatcher to bring common sense into an equation dominated by emotionally driven ideologies in the face of an aggressor with definite aims. In terms of the Russian-Ukraine conflict we are reverting to the old question dating back to the Napoleonic war era: to what extent is London happy with the European nations fighting it out alone for dominance of the continent. Britain was never willing to accept a single power in control. Many variables will dictate what kind of world emerges from the current conflicts in Ukraine and Iran. How will power be extracted from potential gains? What will be the strategic impact of this? What is sure, in the age of Trump this pattern of reliance on U.S. muscle is becoming quickly exhausted. Dating back to the Roman Empire, a factor in the decline of major powers has always been astronomical military spending, a budgetary demand that the U.S. under Trump is no longer willing to shoulder alone. (Author is an Israeli American lawyer academically qualified in British and in U.S.A. law, and a graduate of the School of Oriental & African Studies, London. He is a Jewish believer in Jesus and is currently based in Israel).