Elijah A Man Who Could Make It Rain - Afrikaans

April 1, 2025

Elia, 'n man wat reën gebring het.®

Die opregte gebed van 'n regverdige man kan baie dinge laat gebeur. Elia was 'n mens net soos ons en hy het ernstig tot God gebid dat dit nie moet reën nie, en dit het op die aarde vir drie jaar en ses maande nie gereën nie.

Elia het weer tot God gebid en die Hemel het reën gegee en die aarde het baie vrugte gegee.

“Bely mekaar julle misdade en bid vir mekaar, sodat julle gesond kan word. Die vurige gebed van 'n regverdige het groot krag. Elía was 'n mens net soos ons, en hy het ernstig gebid dat dit nie moes reën nie, en dit het op die aarde drie jaar en ses maande lank nie gereën nie;” (Jak.5:16?18) Elia was 'n mens net soos ek en u, en wat die Heilige Gees vir ons in hierdie Skrifte wil sê is dat as hy dit kon gedoen het dan kan ons dit ook doen. Maar wat beteken dit?

Reën is 'n Tipe van die Uitgestorte Heilige Gees.

In Bybelse tipologie word die Heilige Gees voorgestel deur verskillende vloeistowwe in verskillende omstandighede. Nuwe Wyn stel die Heilige Gees in aanbidding voor. Olie word in verband gebring met die Salwing van die Heilige Gees, maar Lewende Water in die Skrifte is altyd die Uitgestorte Heilige Gees. Die uitgestorte reën val op die aarde en voed die water tafels en so word dit lewende water, die Here Jesus verduidelik soos volg: “Hy wat in My glo, soos die Skrif sê: strome van lewende water sal uit sy binneste vloei. En dit het Hy gesê van die Gees wat dié sou ontvang wat in Hom glo; want die Heilige Gees was daar nog nie, omdat Jesus nog nie verheerlik was nie.” (Joh. 7:38?39).

Die Here Jesus sê vir ons duidelik dat die Lewende Water die Uitgestorte Heilige Gees is: “Want Ek sal water giet op die dorsland en strome op die droë grond; Ek sal my Gees op jou kroos giet en my seën op jou nakomelinge.” (Jes.44:3) Weereens sien ons dat God die Lewende Water sal uitgiet, ??Reën op droë grond is 'n tipologie van die uitstorting van die Heilige Gees.

Dit reën op een plek maar nie ander plekke nie .

“Alhoewel Ék die reën van julle teruggehou het toe dit nog drie maande voor die oestyd was en op die een stad laat reën maar op die ander nie laat reën het nie, die een stuk land reën gekry het, maar die ander waarop geen reën geval het nie, verdor het;” (Amos 4:7).

Hoekom sien ons dat Evangeliste soos Reinhard Bonke in Afrika kan preek en duisende kom tot bekering in een diens maar as hy na Duitsland of Engeland toe gaan gebeur daar niks noemenswaardig nie? Die antwoord is in Amos 4:7: God sal Reën stuur op een plek maar nie op 'n ander plek nie, en die plek waar dit nie reën nie sal daar nie 'n oes wees nie. Daar is 'n soewereine werk van genade in die Uitstorting van die Heilige Gees.

Dit reën in plekke soos Amerika en 'n groot gedeelte van Afrika maar in die Protestantse Westerse lande wat die Bybel al vir 500 jaar het is daar nou 'n droogte. God laat sy Genade nou neerdaal oor die arm volkere en Hy neem dit weg van die ryk lande. Wit Protestantse Christelikheid is in getalle, in 'n morele, finansiële, teologiese en 'n geestelike verval oor die hele wêreld. Die kerk is besig om te groei in Roomse Katolieke, swart en Oosterse lande.

Die Anglikaanse kerk in Engeland is in 'n massiewe verval, maar dieselfde kerk in Afrika toon 'n groot herlewing waar hulle biskoppe uitgesproke is teen die valshede. (Biskop Desmond Tutu is egter 'n uitsondering) Die Afrika Anglikane word op grootskaal deur die Moslems in Algerië vervolg en reg deur Asië is hierdie kerk heel lewendig, maar in Brittanje is die Kerk van Engeland 'n dooie kerk. Dieselfde gebeur hier by ons.

Die herlewings wat plaasgevind het in die verlede soos die Sunshine in Australië, Azusa straat in Kalifornië, die Sunderland in Engeland met Smith Wigglesworth, is die soort herlewings wat nou plaasvind in plekke soos Ekwador, Chili, die Fillipyne, Indoniesië en Kenia. God stuur reën op die een plek terwyl ander plekke uitdroog en tot niet gaan.

Vandag kry ons mense met herlewings formules om kerk groei te stimuleer, maar dit is 'n groot klug en dit beteken absoluut niks en dit sal nie werk nie, want daar is ‘n baie vername bestanddeel wat vermis word: Die Soewereine Genade van God: Die Uitgestorte Heilige Gees. God se Woord keer nooit leeg terug nie.

Hier en daar sal mense tot redding kom, maar as daar gepraat word van 'n groot oes insameling, dan beteken geen reën, geen oes nie! Maar Elia was 'n man wat dit kon laat reën, hy was 'n mens net soos ons, met ander woorde, wat hy kon gedoen het kan ons ook doen.

Vir die ontwil van ons Vaders en die Naam van die Here.

Ek is seker daarvan dat ons Hemelse Vader die Westerse Protestantse demokrasieë nog een kans gaan gee om tot bekering te kom voor die Wederkoms van die Here Jesus. God wil hulle nog 'n kans gee, nie vir ons ontwil nie, maar om Sy Naam ontwil. Nie omdat ons dit verdien nie, ons verdien niks nie want ons kerke is totaal vervalle,??maar dit is om ons vaders se ontwil.

Soos wat die Skrif in Romeine 11 lees: God wil vir die Jode nog 'n kans aan die einde gee, voor die Wederkoms van die Here. Hoekom? Omdat wanneer God na Israel kyk, dan sien Hy nie net die sonde van Israel nie, Hy sien ook nie hulle blywende verwerping van hulle Messias nie, nee, God sien nog steeds vir Jeremia in die tronk. Hy sien vir Jesaja wat middeldeur gesaag word deur koning Manasse. Hy sien hoedat Sagaria in die tempel gemartel word, Hy sien hoedat Johannes die Doper onthoof word, en God sê: "Vir die ontwil van die vaders wil ek die nasies nog een kans gee om tot bekering te kom."

Brittanje is dieselfde. Wanneer God na Brittanje of Suid Afrika kyk dan sien Hy nie die Brittanje wat ons sien nie, Hy sien nie 'n sogenaamde Christen land waar Hindu gode aanbid word in die Canterbury Katedraal en ook waar biskoppe die Opstanding en die Maagdelike geboorte van Christus verwerp nie. Wanneer God na die Brittanje van vandag kyk dan sien Hy die hede, verlede en die toekoms. God sien

steeds John Bunyan wat vir twaalf jaar in die tronk van Bedford aan 'n muur vasgeketting was, en ook die skrywe van die 'Pilgrimm Progress'. God sien steeds vir John Wesley waar hy gestenig word deur mense wat opgesteek is deur die Kerk van Engeland omdat hy die Evangelie verkondig het.

God sien nog vir Tynedale wat lewendig verbrand is deur die toedoen van die Kerk van Rome sodat ons die Bybel in Engels kon ontvang. God sien nog steeds die Engelse martelare soos Charles Haddon Spurgeon; Ridley, Latimer en Hooper. En God sê: "Vir die ontwil van die vaders en vir My Naam ontwil,?? vir die ontwil van die vaders en vir My Naam Ontwil wil ek die nasies nog een kans gee." Dit is ook net so waar vir Amerika!. God sien nog vir Jonathon Edwards en D. L. Moody en Harry Ironsides. God sien nog steeds hierdie getroue Christene.

God sien nie hierdie voorspoed en Mammon predikers van vandag nie.

God wil die Westerse Protestante nasies nog een kans gee om tot bekering te kom, maar vir hulle om hierdie kans te kan kry moet dit eers reën.

Eerstens moet ons die werklikheid begryp, ons moet tot die besef kom en erken dat ons midde in 'n groot droogte is, ons moet besef dat al hierdie slim planne en foefies wat gebruik word om skyn herlewings in die kerke aan te blaas niks beteken nie, dit is geen en sal geen herlewing in enige kerk denominasie bring nie.

Dit sal moet reën, want as dit nie reën nie sal daar geen graan oes wees nie. Daarom kyk God of daar nie dalk iewers manne en vroue is wat dit kan laat reën nie.

“En Elía, die Tisbiet, uit Tisbe in Gílead, het vir Agab gesê: So waar as die HERE, die God van Israel, leef, voor wie se aangesig ek staan, daar sal geen dou of reën in hierdie jare wees nie, behalwe op my woord! Toe kom die woord van die HERE tot hom en sê: Gaan hiervandaan weg en draai jou na die ooste toe en steek jou weg by die spruit Krit wat oos van die Jordaan is; en jy moet uit die spruit drink, en Ek het aan die kraaie bevel gegee om jou daar te onderhou. En hy het gegaan en gehandel volgens die woord van die HERE: hy het gaan bly by die spruit Krit wat oos van die Jordaan is. En die kraaie het vir hom smôrens brood en vleis gebring, en saans brood en vleis, en hy het uit die spruit gedrink. Maar ná verloop van tyd het die spruit opgedroog, want daar was geen reën in die land nie. Toe kom die woord van die HERE tot hom en sê: Maak jou klaar, gaan na Sarfat wat by Sidon is, en bly daar; kyk, daar het Ek aan 'n weduwee bevel gegee om jou te onderhou. Daarop het hy hom gereedgemaak en na Sarfat gegaan; en toe hy by die ingang van die stad kom, was 'n weduwee juis besig om daar houtjies bymekaar te maak. ???

“En hy roep haar en sê: Gaan haal tog vir my 'n bietjie water in die kan, dat ek kan drink. Terwyl sy loop om dit te gaan haal, roep hy na haar en sê: Bring tog vir my 'n stukkie brood saam. Maar sy antwoord: So waar as die HERE u God leef, ek het nie 'n broodkoek nie, net maar 'n handvol meel in die pot en 'n bietjie olie in die kruik; en hier maak ek nou 'n paar houtjies bymekaar; dan gaan ek en maak dit vir my en my seun klaar, dat ons dit kan eet en sterwe. En Elía sê vir haar: Wees nie bevrees nie, gaan heen, doen volgens jou woord; maar maak eers daarvan vir my 'n broodkoekie en bring dit uit vir my; daarna kan jy vir jóu en jou seun iets klaarmaak. Want so sê die HERE, die God van Israel: Die meel in die pot sal nie opraak en die olie in die kruik sal nie minder word nie, tot op die dag dat die HERE reën op die aarde

sal gee. En sy het gegaan en gehandel volgens die woord van Elía; en sy het geëet??sy en hy en haar gesin dae lank: die meel in die pot het nie opgeraak en die olie in die kruik nie minder geword nie, volgens die woord van die HERE wat Hy deur die diens van Elía gespreek het. Ná hierdie dinge het die seun van die vrou, die eienares van die huis, siek geword; en sy siekte was baie ernstig, totdat daar geen asem meer in hom oorgebly het nie. Toe sê sy vir Elía: Wat het ek met u te doen, man van God! U het na my gekom om my ongeregtigheid in gedagtenis te bring en my seun dood te maak! Maar hy antwoord haar: Gee jou seun vir my. En hy het hom van haar skoot af geneem en hom opgedra na die bo?kamer waar hy self gewoon het, en hom op sy bed neergelê; en hy het die HERE aangeroep en gesê: HERE my God, het U selfs oor die weduwee by wie ek as vreemdeling vertoef, 'n onheil gebring deur haar seun te laat sterwe? Daarop het hy hom drie maal uitgestrek oor die kind en die HERE aangeroep en gesê: HERE my God, laat die siel van hierdie kind tog in hom terugkeer. En die HERE het Elía verhoor; en die siel van die kind het in hom teruggekeer, sodat hy weer lewendig geword het. Daarop neem Elía die kind en bring hom af uit die bo?kamer in die huis en gee hom aan sy moeder; en Elía sê: Kyk, jou seun lewe! En die vrou sê vir Elía: Nou weet ek dit dat u 'n man van God is en dat die woord van die HERE in u mond waarheid is.

“En geruime tyd daarna het die woord van die HERE in die derde jaar tot Elía gekom en gesê: Gaan heen, vertoon jou aan Agab, dan wil Ek reën gee op die aarde. En Elía het gegaan om hom aan Agab te vertoon. En die hongersnood was swaar in Samaría.” (1Kon.17:1?18:2)

“En net toe Agab Elía sien, vra Agab vir hom: Is dit jy, jou beroerder van Israel?” (1Kon.18:17)

“Toe sê Elía vir Agab: Trek op, eet en drink, want hoor, die gedruis van die reën! En Agab het opgetrek om te eet en te drink; maar Elía het op die top van die Karmel geklim en hom op die grond neergebuig en sy aangesig tussen sy knieë gesteek. Daarop sê hy vir sy dienaar: Klim tog op, kyk uit na die see. En hy het opgeklim en uitgekyk en geroep: Daar is niks nie. Toe sê hy: Gaan weer??sewe maal. En die sewende maal roep hy: Daar gaan 'n wolkie soos 'n man se hand op uit die see. Toe sê hy: Gaan op, sê vir Agab: Span in en trek af, dat die reën jou nie terughou nie. En in 'n oogwink was die hemel swart van wolke en wind, en 'n groot reën het gekom; en Agab het op die wa geklim en weggetrek na Jísreël; maar die hand van die HERE was oor Elía, sodat hy sy heupe omgord en voor Agab uit geloop het in die rigting na Jísreël. (1Kon.8:40?46)

En dit het gereën en gereën!

Kort agtergrond.

Die drie en 'n halwe jaar wat dit nie gereën het nie is 'n tipe van die drie en 'n halwe jaar waarna Daniël en Openbaring verwys, dit is wanneer die Heilige Gees nie uitgestort sal word by die einde van die wêreld nie. Dit is 'n eskatologiese tipe gebeurtenis waar die gees van Elia op 'n sekere manier weer na vore sal begin kom soos wat dit deur die Profeet Maleági geprofeteer is. Net soos wat Elia die heidense vrou en haar seun gered het, leer dit vir ons op 'n manier hoedat God die gees van Elia op 'n manier gaan gebruik om om te sien na die heidense kerk aan die einde van die tye.

Elia, Elisa en Johannes die Doper, almal het dieselfde gees gehad. [Die Here sê vir Moses: “Dan sal Ek neerdaal en daar met jou spreek; en van die Gees wat op jou is, sal Ek afsonder en op hulle lê; en hulle sal jou help om die las van die volk te dra, sodat jy dit nie alleen hoef te dra nie. (Num.11:17)]

Wanneer ons dinge in die Bybel geografies op sekere plekke sien gebeur dan moet ons weet dat daar 'n geestelike en 'n Teologiese verbintenis bestaan. Elia se bediening eindig op die vlaktes van Jerigo, dit is waar Elisa sy mantel ontvang het. ('n Teken van gesag.) Dit is ook waar Johannes die Doper se bediening plaasgevind het, almal op dieselfde plek.

Die bose vrou, Isébel, wat ook 'n teëbeeld van die bose Isébel in die Boek Openbaring is ??[Die gees van alle valse godsdienste.] dit is sy wat die koning, die politieke mag, manipuleer, en op aandrang van Agab het sy Nabot se wingerd ingepalm wat Agab begeer het.

In die Skrifte is die beeld van die wingerd Israel en by wyse van inenting ook die kerk, die bose vrou probeer die wingerd vir die koning in die hande kry. Dit bring haar in konflik met Elia en sy probeer die koning oorreed om Elia dood te maak. Dit is ook presies die beeld en die verhaal wat Herodias gedoen het. (Matt.14:3?12) Die bose vrou stel die koning teen Elia (Johannes die Doper) op. Alle bose vroue in die Bybel is 'n beeld en in die karakter van die bose vrou in Openbaring, en dit is waarom die konflik wat Elia gehad het weer navore kom in die Laaste Dae.

Hoekom het dit opgehou Reën?

Die eerste ding wat ons hier sien is dat God 'n man soos Elia neem en van hom iemand maak wat dit kon laat reën, en ook kon laat ophou reën. Hoekom het die reën opgehou? Dit het opgehou reën omrede die sonde van God se mense. Die werke van die Heilige Gees het opgehou in die Westerse Protestantse wêreld omrede hulle sondes identies is aan die sondes van Israel in die dae van Elia. Aborsie kom ooreen met die offer van kindertjies aan duiwels wat ons in die geledere van Israel en Juda in die Ou Testament sien.

Aanbidding van ander gode.

Die Baal priesters was nie buitelanders nie, hulle was almal Jode. Vandag is dit dieselfde. Reg oor die Westerse Protestantse wêreld sien ons 'n dramatiese vermeerdering van afgode aanbidding soos: Islam, die New Age en Hinduisme. Die New Age denke is oral vandag te vinde in Evangeliese en Pinkster kerke, mense meng Christelikheid met heidense praktyke, en dit is waar die Roomse Katolieke kerk vandaan kom, en dit is presies wat vandag in baie Pinkster kerke aan die gebeur is.

Materialisme:

Die kerk is lou warm en materialisties en vol van ligsinnige leerstellings.

Ons sien 'n geloof denke wat nie in die Bybel is nie, 'n tipe Mammon aanbidding, 'n maskerade van hebsug onder die waan van Christelikheid. Dit is Laodicéa, dit is waarom dit opgehou Reën het. Maar wie is die mense wat die meeste verantwoordelik vir die groot afval in die Westerse beskawings? Is dit die sekulêre, wêreldse, gemeenskap? Nee, dit is ons, dit is as gevolg van die sondes van God se mense, dit is waarom dit opgehou reën het. Probleme wat in gemeenskappe na vore kom is dinge soos: Dwelm

misbruik, aborsies, egskeidings, roof en moord, alles dinge wat daarop wys dat die kerk gefaal het. God se mense gaan ooreenkomste aan en uiteindelik het Israel geëindig met die Baal priesters. Dit is wat in Elia se tyd gebeur het en dit gebeur vandag weer. Op verskeie plekke reën dit nie en daar is groot droogtes as gevolg van die sondes van God se mense.

Die Spruit Krit.

Die eerste ding wat God aan Elia gesê het was om na die spruit Krit toe te gaan wat Oos van die Jordaan lê. (1Kon.17:3) Dit is waar die kraaie vir hom voedsel gebring het.

Krit was aan die anderkant van die Jordaan, en toe God vir Elia gesê het om sy land te verlaat, het God aan hom gesê om sy nasionale en kulturele identiteit, en die rustigheid van sy eie huis te verlaat. En bo dit alles het die onreine kraaie hom ook nog gevoed. Kraaie is onrein voëls, en God het aan Elia dinge voorsien wat hy nooit verwag het nie.

Die droogtes is vandag so krities in die Westerse wêreld dat mense wat dit kan laat reën sal moet kans sien om na die spruit Krit toe te gaan.

Dit sal in sommige gevalle beteken dat kerke hulle tradisionele denominasie, wat so ver van die Woord van God afgedwaal het en gesondig het en nie sonde belydenis wil doen nie, sal moet prysgee, wat sal beteken dat hulle vir alles wat daarna gaan gebeur, uit en uit op God sal moet vertrou en dat God hulle sal te gemoed kom op maniere wat hulle sal dink onheilig is, soos die kraaie wat Elia gevoed het. Elia was gewillig om God eerste in sy lewe te plaas in plaas van sy aardse skatte, volk en vaderland. Vandag egter sien ons dat die materialistiese dinge absoluut eerste in die lewens van mense gekom het. Kultuur, identiteit, en denominasies is eerste, en getrouheid en geloof in God is tweede. Maar mense wat dit sal kan laat reën sal mense wees wat nie bang sal wees om na die spruit Krit toe te gaan, en daar met alles op God te vertrou nie.

Sarfat.

Dit is die donkerste voor Sonop. Dinge gaan baie slegter word voordat dit sal begin beter gaan. Die spruit Krit gaan opdroog! In vers 9 sien ons dat Elia na 'n plek toe gaan wat genoem word Sarfat. Die woord Sarfat kom van 'n Hebreeuse wortel wat: 'Reiniging deur vuur' beteken.' As God iemand soos myself met 'n sondige ongelowige natuur moet neem en my so vorm dat ek dit kan laat reën, dan moet Hy my eers deur vuur reinig. Daar gaan 'n baie moeilike tyd kom, nie net 'n tand pyn en toets nie, nie net 'n droogte nie, nie net vervolging nie, maar al hierdie dinge terselfdertyd. Dit sal op 'n punt kom waar mense wat u sal wil help sal dink dat u hulle verraai het, soos met die weduwee by Sarfat. Maar dit maak nie saak hoe sleg, of hoe donker dinge sal wees nie, of hoe groot die droogte sal wees nie, daar is 'n belofte van twee dinge: Daar sal altyd Meel in die Pot, en Olie in die Kruik wees vir hulle wat gereinig wil word. Dinge gaan baie slegter word voordat dit sal begin beter gaan, maar daar sal altyd Meel en Olie wees: U sal die Woord van God, en die Salwing van die Heilige Gees ontvang, al gebeur wat.

Die ou Wynsakke sal sterf

Toe sê sy vir Elía: Wat het ek met u te doen, man van God! U het na my gekom om my ongeregtigheid in gedagtenis te bring en my seun dood te maak, (1Kon.17:18)

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Haar seun sterf en sy gee Elia die skuld. Die mense wat gaan swaarkry en die wat u wil help gaan u daarvoor verantwoordelik hou. Dinge wat so lank al sleg gaan, gaan veroorsaak dat die dinge wat ons die meeste liefhet eers sal moet sterf voordat hulle opgewek kan word.

Baie mense in die Westerse kerke van vandag sal eers moet sterf voordat hulle opgewek kan word. Nuwe wyn kan nie in ou wyn sakke gegooi word nie. Dit is een van die groot probleme van die Charismatiese bewegings, hulle probeer nuwe wyn in ou wyn sakke stoor. Die dinge waarvoor ons die meeste lief is sal moet sterf voordat ons opgewek kan word.

Die beroerders van Israel.

“Is dit jy, jou beroerder van Israel?” (1Kon.18:17).

Is dit jy jou moeilikheid maker van die kerk? Is dit jy wat opstaan teen die ekumeniese beweging, die Kingdom Now, Voorspoed predikers, New Wave, New Age, Name it, claim it? Is dit jy wat opstaan teen die valse profete en valse leraars en hulle leuens? Dit is wat die mense met Elia gedoen het, en as u iemand is wat die reën wil sien dan is dit wat hulle van u gaan sê.

Die konflik.

Vervolgens gaan hulle na die Berg Karmel. Dit is hier waar die konflik kom met Isébel??die konflik met die gees van valse godsdienste: Roomse Katolieke, Ekumeniese beweging, Vry Messelaars, aborsies en die New Age bewegings. Daar gaan 'n konflik wees en diegene wat hierdie konflik wen sal diegene wees wat by Sarfat gereinig is.

So baie van die sogenaamde Charismatiese aanbidding van vandag, die geraas, 'Rave' Toronto en al hierdie vervalsings lyk alte veel meer en meer na die Baal priesters op die Berg Karmel, as na die Profeet Elia. U moet oplet dat hierdie Baal priesters gedink het dat dit waarmee hulle besig is, regtig gaan werk! Net so sien ons dat ons broers en susters wat gevang is deur hierdie valse profete van vandag, soos die Kingdom Now, New Wave, Toronto, Pesacola, ens.

Almal glo dit is dinge wat herlewing gaan bring, maar wanneer die werklike konflik kom dan gaan ons sien wie die opregte Profete van die Here is.

Die Reënwolk.

Dit begin by 'n klein wolkie, dit wil voorkom asof enige ding kan begin gebeur, waar is dit? Met die Baal priesters is dit grootpratery, arrogansie en 'n hoop valshede, maar God werk nie so nie, dit begin klein, soos 'n klein handjie wat uit die see uit kom. Dit begin altyd klein, maar dit word al groter en groter totdat die hele hemel gevul is met swaar reënwolke. Dan, Weerlig, en God se Gees val, en dit Reën en Reën.

Dit is my fout.

Daar is nie 'n maklike manier om die agteruitgang in die Westerse Christen wêreld te stuit nie want dit het te ver gegaan en ons almal is deur ons leiers uitverkoop. Al hierdie namaaksels en valshede sal nie 'n Siele Oes inbring nie, dit gaan Reën vat om dit te weeg te bring, maar dit het opgehou reën. Dit het opgehou reën, gedeeltelik asgevolg van die sonde van die samelewing maar grootliks asgevolg van die

sonde van die kerk, van God se mense. en totdat die kerk nie hulle bekeer en hulle sondes bely nie gaan daar nie 'n bekering van die wêreld plaasvind nie.

Die reën het opgehou omdat ek wat die waarheid ken dit verruil het vir die genot en wellus van die oë en die wêreld, dit reën nie omrede ons sondes.

Diegene wat dit kan laat reën.

Diegene wat reën gaan bring is diegene wat nie bang sal wees om na die spruit Krit toe te gaan nie, diegene wat nie gebonde is aan tradisies en organisasies nie. Dit sal diegene wees wat nie Nuwe Wyn in ou wyn sakke sal wil gooi nie, hulle sal mense wees wat doen wat God hulle beveel om te doen en wat uit en uit op Hom sal vertrou op maniere wat hulle nie verwag nie. Hulle sal mense wees wat nie bang sal wees om deur vuur gereinig te word nie maar wat bereid sal wees om na Sarfat te gaan. Mense wat bereid sal wees om te sien dat die dinge waarvoor hulle lief is sal moet sterwe sodat hulle in Reinheid opgewek kan word. Dit gaan moeilik wees, maar dit maak nie saak hoe moeilik dit sal gaan nie, God het belowe dat daar altyd Olie in die Kruik, en Meel in die Pot sal wees.

Die mense wat gereinig is sal na die Berg Karmel toe gaan en hulle sal voor Isébel staan, die valse godsdienste van die Wêreld, hulle sal voor die Baal profete, diegene wat hulle self profete en predikers noem, vervalsers van die Evangelie, en hulle sal in 'n konflik wees, maar die beroerders van Israel, die Elias, gaan oorwin.. †††



By David Passmore July 8, 2026
A Divided Nation Rubin Rothler LLB, LLM The Haredi community has had a complicated, paradoxical relationship with the State since its founding. Rooted in a Talmudic precept that the Jews are forbidden to resettle the land of Israel en masse by force before the coming of the Messiah, the secular democratic State of Israel presents itself as blasphemous by its mere existence. Yet due to practical considerations such as the need to obtain funding for its religious academies the Haredi leadership reached a settlement with the State's founders that exempted Haredi men from being conscripted for military service. This was at a time when the Haredi population in Israel was relatively small. Over the past decades this demographic ballooned until the point that soon the majority of Jewish children in Israel will be born into Haredi families. Such a situation is clearly unsustainable. Recently the Knesset's (Parliament's) Haredi parties have pressured their coalition partners in government to codify Torah Study as part of the Country's Basic Laws. This was purposefully done to elevate the status of their institutions to be on parity with service in the IDF. Israel is yet to promulgate a written Constitution, so legislation classed as a Basic Law holds Constitutional status for all intents and purposes. These moves by the religious parties represent a back door power grab to enshrine in law very significant hurdles to prevent the enlistment of Haredi men. The burden of Israel's defence is comparatively massive for a country its size and it is vastly disproportionately shouldered by the secular population. Until now there have been political initiatives to conscript the Haredim. But given the huge manpower shortages emerging in the wake of near continual conflict on multiple fronts since the events of October 7th this matter has become urgent and not merely a theoretical discussion of what is fair and equitable. It is important to draw a distinction between the Haredim and national religious Jews (Dati Leumi). The Haredim adhere to a lifestyle entirely committed to observance of Jewish Law and Talmudic study. This is embraced to the exclusion of gainful employment and participation in wider society. They are either outrightly opposed to Zionism or consider themselves non-Zionist. Conversely, followers of the national religious movement in Israel although being observant of Jewish law and learning would alongside this pursue secular professions. Furthermore, they are ardently Zionist and disproportionately serve in IDF combat units. This is often done within the framework of a program called Hesder Yeshiva that combines religious learning with military service. Efforts to cater a similar model for accommodating Haredi participation in the IDF have so far failed to make substantial gains. Such measures designed to override Haredi objections to service based upon modesty concerns by strict segregation of the sexes in these specially formed units have failed to appease the Haredi leadership. For them, any form of military service is considered a dereliction of their duty to fully devote themselves to a Torah lifestyle. They argue that their Talmudic learning and prayers are in itself a form of national service and act to protect the Jewish people spiritually from enemy attack. It is as if two parallel societies exist within Israel. And the trajectory of separation between the two is only growing. The Haredim are cloistered away in their Yeshivas, immersed in lives devoted to adhering to the stipulations of Jewish law. While the particulars of actually running the State is left to the Secular. The Haredim desire all the benefits of subsidizing their lifestyle without contributing to society. What we really have going on here at source is two profoundly different and opposing ideological visions of what is important in life and what is the purpose of a Jewish State. At the State's founding these divergent perspectives were more manageable. Ben Gurion only had to contend with one religious party –the National Religious Party. Later in 1970 Begin aligned with the NRP to form a coalition government that also brought Sephardic Jews under the Likud umbrella which had the effect of bringing unity to the country by bridging the Ashkenazi-Sephardi divide. However, over time Israeli politics has seen a proliferation of religious parties, gaining further leverage as king brokers in forming governments due to the proportionate representation voting system which secular Israelis not uncommonly view as political blackmail. (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).
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By Mea Fredrickson June 23, 2026
New Paragraph
By David Passmore June 22, 2026
THE CAPTION AT THE HEAD OF THE POSTER IMAGE FOR THE MOVIE ‘DISCLOSURE DAY’ BOLDLY DECLARES ‘WE DESERVE TO KNOW’ Indeed, we do need to know the truth. But will we find it in Stephen Spielberg’s new movie ‘Disclosure Day’? Could it just as well be entitled ‘DECEPTION DAY’? In an interview with USA Today Spielberg says that evidence of non-human contact has become “overwhelming” to him. He has suggested that his film could raise significant theological questions for Christians. But will it? For us Christians - No, not on our watch! The movie raises no questions for those who accept the proven accuracy of God’s Word, the Bible. The film, which is capturing the imagination of the public, only confirms exactly what scripture tells us about what are in fact extra-dimensional beings. ALIENS OR FALLEN ANGELS? God inhabits the heavenly realm along with a vast array of angels. Because Lucifer, a created angel, wanted to usurp God as ruler of the universe, he was expelled to another realm outside of our time and space, along with one third of the angels who rebelled with him. These fallen angels manifest themselves as demons who can appear on earth and disappear at will. Spiritual hosts of wickedness exist in heavenly places, wherever this realm is, it is not the place where God dwells. ARE ALIENS BENEVOLENT? In the movie, the ‘aliens’ are portrayed as friendly beings who want to help mankind in a time of crisis. If the aliens are really demons, not visitors from outer space, this is a dangerous delusion. Whitley Striber in his book ‘Communion’ writes on encountering ‘aliens’; ‘I felt an indescribable sense of menace. Whatever was there seemed so monstrously ugly, so filthy, so dark and sinister. Of course they were demons. They have to be.’ Many others have reported similar malevolent experiences. During the movie, Daniel claims to have had an encounter with extra-terrestrials during which he received a special gift of empathy, which is regarded by him as the ultimate superpower. However, there is only One who completely understands our human frailty. We read this concerning Jesus: ‘For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet he did not sin.’ (Hebrews 4 v 15). Jesus said: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11 v 28) END TIMES DECEPTION Before he was crucified, Jesus warned his disciples about these last days in which we are living. The first words he used in this context were: “Watch no one deceives you. For many will come in my name saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.” Deception was top of the list! Later, the Apostle Paul wrote about these days: ‘The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.’ (2 Thessalonians 2 v 9) Have you received the love of the truth? Have you received Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life? If not, you are in great danger. Perilous times are here and they are only going to get worse as man turns more and more away from his maker. Things will only change when Jesus returns soon to establish his own Kingdom on earth, where justice and peace will rule. JESUS, OUR ONLY HOPE! The Bible says all human beings are sinners. The message of Jesus is simple; repent and believe the good news, that God wants humanity, his highest creation, to be reestablished in relationship with him. His plan was simple: to give his life in unconditional love for every human being that has and ever will live, by shedding his blood on a Roman cross. In doing this, we can receive forgiveness of sins. Our old life will then be buried with him, giving us new life with the hope of an eternal future of true peace, love and joy, with freedom from pain and tears. Why ignore such a great gift of salvation? If you do, your fate will be sealed for eternity in hell, which is a real place without God, and thus without love, to face only eternal consequences of punishment. We condemn ourselves to such a fate. REPENT AND BELIEVE THE GOSPEL BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE! Jesus loves you and asks that you repent and believe in him. It would be the best and safest decision of your life! If you commit your life to him, he will give you a new heart, you will be a new person inside. You will also gain a new desire for all that is right and true. And his Holy Spirit will give you an ability to discern the lies of the age we are living in. ‘For God so loved the world, that he gave us his only son, that whosoever believes in him, will not perish, but have eternal life.’ (John 3:16) FINALLY, A RECOMMENDATION  All that is described in this leaflet has been open, in the light for millennia. On the other hand, the theory of extra-terrestrial life has been hidden in darkness, awaiting ‘Disclosure Day’. Which would you prefer to believe, the Word of God, or the word of Stephen Spielberg? I made my choice years ago, and have never regretted it! If this message has spoken to you, just call upon Jesus in a short prayer. Confess to him that you are a sinner in need of salvation. Ask him in sincerity to forgive you and to fill you with his Holy Spirit. You will then become what the Bible describes as being ‘born again’. (John 3 v 7) Then you need to seek a Bible believing church where you can be baptised and become part of a group of believers who can help you get to know Jesus more and more fully. “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8 v 32)
By David Passmore June 20, 2026
Prayer request for Teerth Sond Petitioned Prayer-Supplication/Personal Prayer/ Collective Prayer/Thanks Giving Prayer Our Dear brethren in Yeshua, my family & myself Teerth request your prayers in The Spirit that the latest drugs Ramicirumab & Pacilitaxel will destroy the cancer cell in the Authority Of The Lord Yeshua in The Power of The Holy Spirit. Targeted Petition: Please stand with us in prayer & fasting; The Lord will target the 2cm legion & that it will be cast out of my Liver in the love (agape), compassion, kindness, grace, mercy of God. I do not deserve it because of me- but By His Stripes we are healed for His Glory. This will allow the main operation to go ahead (which should have been done 18 months ago). Step by Step in the leading of The Holy Spirit and the in the Lord Step by Step, as our beautiful sister Beryl said, has worked on my Spiritual man- thank you Lord for waking me up. Lord raise me up for your glory forever because of your love to me, the family & fellowship- an unworthy sinner saved by your grace & love. Email sent to my Oncologist & my Local MP: Greetings Natasha & Dr Mano Joseph Hope All Is Well Thank you for our meeting today. At our meeting we discussed my MRI & CT scans which were done in May 2026. We discussed the operation on my oesophagus which I believe is the best option. (This should have been done 18 months ago). My Kidney operation will be done- non evasive- Lord willing within the next month. Will you be talking to Mr Chacravaty about this? The liver must be targeted first- this is wisdom and the latest radiotherapy treatments available- proton therapy-radiotherapy atezolizumab and bevacizumab sorafenib lenvatinib regorafenib cabozantinib durvalumab and tremelimumab At the meeting we discussed the next CT & MRI scans to be held end off July. Wouldn't it be to better to have them in August so by then I've had 4 full treatments on the latest medication. Also we have Zolbetuximab on compassionate usage- all glory to The Lord. After all the past wrongs I have no doubt now Dr Joseph you will pursue the best for me and family. Dear brethren- King Manasseh, David, Hannah, The Church For Peter, James, The Lord Jesus Christ for example made petitions onto the Lord. We pray as one body to cast off the illness in the Power of The Holy & The Authority Of Yeshua. The Great Physician who came for the ill. To lay out raised hands 🙌🏽 upon the head of our Lord. ABBA/Daddy/Lord in your mercy have mercy on us. Love you all in Yeshua our Lord & God. Teerth, Family & Fellowship
By David Passmore June 19, 2026
The End of an Extended Honeymoon – Are Trump and Netanyahu Parting Ways? Rubin Rothler LLB, LLM  The Israeli public had high hopes for Trump. Unlike his predecessors, he consistently endorsed Israeli measures of self-defence in the different theatres of conflict in which it had to contend. Further to these ends Trump shared in Netanyahu’s determined agenda of preventing the Iranians from pursuing the proliferation of nuclear weapons. During Trump's first term he tore up Obama's negotiated settlement with the Iranians concerning enriched Uranium, echoing Netanyahu’s position that it didn't go far enough. Now in his second term Trump partnered with Israel in a war with Iran that turned out to lack clearly defined goals. The campaign required resolve on the part of America that it wasn't willing to commit. After an initial lightning blitzkrieg that decapitated the Iranian leadership, the Persians dug in and the conflict became a protracted war of attrition hinging on Iran's stranglehold on the straits of Hormuz that could only be realistically lifted by placing boots on the ground or an intensified air war directed against Iranian coastal positions and the destruction of Kharg island, or at least the viable threat to obliterate Kharg island if Iran did not acquiesce. It transpired that Trump and Netanyahu underestimated the resilience of the Iranian regime, thinking that it had already received a near mortal blow during the prior popular demonstrations. So now we are left with a situation where Trump is exasperated with this protracted endeavour and appears to be aiming his frustration towards Netenyahu. A sticking point is Israel's continued occupation of Southern Lebanon. Iran is insistent that Israel withdraw its forces from there as a precursor to fully committing itself to a final status agreement with the U.S. to put an end to its nuclear aspirations. With the midterm elections looming Trump seems to be desperate for an exit strategy from this war. From Israel's perspective the fight against Hizbollah is an inextricable part of the Iranian equation. The IDF has invested massive resources and personnel in the hopes of quashing the Iranian proxy once and for all. Netanyahu is determined to build on the momentum achieved after the spectacular pager attack in 2024. After the catastrophic Hamas massacres of October 7th, the majority of the Israeli public is unwilling to tolerate a capable hostile force on its borders. Trump's proposed solution to this dilemma unrealistically suggests that Syria should take on the role of disarming and removing Hizbollah from Lebanon. In the ultimate reckoning of international relations, America doesn't have iron clad allies, but rather interests like any other nation. If, (as appears to be occurring now) U.S. and Israeli interests fail to align the two countries will cease to act in unison and there may be a rupture in relations on the not-too-distant horizon. Trump has indicated that Israel owes him big time. He has asserted that were it not for his decisive actions they would have been obliterated by Iran's missiles. This is nothing to say of the robust diplomatic support Trump has lent Israel in such forums as the United Nations Security Council and sanctioning officials of the International Criminal Court. Netanyahu is acutely aware of what may be next after Trump. The way public opinion is turning against Israel it is unlikely that the next administration is going to be any way near as friendly as Trump has been thus far to Israel. Trump too of course is mindful of this turning tide opposing Israel. The Iran war has been unpopular to his domestic audience, and the President has been caricatured as Netanyahu’s stooge doing Israel's bidding. Another major consideration for Trump is the colossal impact that the war has had on his other major regional allies: the Gulf States and Saudi Arabia. They have received the brunt of the Iranian backlash that has effectively targeted their energy infrastructure and trading routes. They, along with the Europeans have been exerting pressure on Trump to end the conflict and reopen the Straits of Hormuz regardless of whether the most favourable terms of Iranian capitulation are achieved. Israel, however important a strategic asset and technological powerhouse will not override these broader concerns that are endangering global energy markets. An unspoken factor is Trump's propensity for a belligerent severing of his relationship with allies in the political sphere. His public displays of hostility with former political allies such Senator Ted Cruz, Governor Ron Santos and Elon Musk demonstrate a temperament that the same kind of falling out could invoke with strategic allies as well as those political. Both Trump and Netanyahu are approaching the sunset of their political careers and are naturally inclined to deeply consider the legacies they will leave behind. In the international sphere Trump projected himself as a peacemaker from a position of strength. But as many commentators have pointed out, the war with Iran demonstrated the limits of U.S. power. Trump appraised Iran as low hanging fruit that could be swiftly toppled like Venezuela. However, when push came to shove and the only prospect of landing a decisive blow demanded a massive ground offensive on the scale of the Iraq war, he bottled out and sued for a premature peace that will leave Netanyahu in the cold. Netanyahu is anxious to rehabilitate the injury inflicted on his reputation of the greatest disaster to have occurred in Israel's history having happened on his watch. Eliminating Iran as the great regional adversary pulling the strings of its proxies would have done much in this regard. Neither leader is able to craft their legacies as they would have wanted. Trump is choosing the perceived option of mitigating the damage done to his legacy in foreign affairs. He is trying hard to sell his Iran deal as being more than what Obama bargained in terms of guaranteeing a nuclear free Iran. But as further details of his proposal are leaked this is becoming a tall order. Netanyahu is faced with October elections and he may decide to stay the course in Lebanon as otherwise he will seem weak to most voters. Should this happen, we will be in uncharted waters as it will thwart Trump's designs for an immediate end to this affair.
By David Passmore June 17, 2026
The Battlefield for Israel's Reputation Rubin Rothler LLB, LLM Israel has enjoyed strong U.S. support since its founding. Within eleven minutes of Israel's Declaration of Independence Truman recognized the Jewish State. Under the Kennedy administration the Pentagon sold advanced missile systems to Israel. However, it was the 1970 attempted PLO takeover of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan that demonstrated to the U.S. Israel's regional prowess and indispensability for implementing Washington's agenda. During Arafat's attempted Coup Syria mobilized its forces on the Jordanian border in support of the PLO's bid to dislodge the ruling Hashemite dynasty. Upon Washington's direction the IDF also mobilized its army upon its border with Jordan, thereby deterring the Syrians from taking further action. From then, the Pentagon and U.S. military planners invested heavily in promoting Israel's defence. During the 1973 Yom Kippur War disaster Nixon's massive air lift came to Israel's aid. For decades U.S. diplomatic and military support for Israel was a non-partisan issue. Both Democrat and Republican members of Congress voted nearly unanimously in support of measures concerning Israel. However, in the mid 2010's this began to change. To the extent that now 80% of Democrats hold views in opposition to Israel and this is reflected in how their representatives are acting. It is difficult to praise an exact moment when this turning point occurred. For years Democrat grassroots activist groups across the nation were lobbying their local representatives about their attitudes to Palestine and the mass student protest movements following the Gaza war built upon this momentum. The dual standards by the academic establishment were riddled with hypocrisy as if by the same criteria Israel is condemned for its responsive self-defence counter attacks in Lebanon and Gaza, Britain and America would be similarly indicted for what they did to Dresden, Hamburg and Berlin in response to Hitler. This is facilitated by the funding of Western Universities by Qatar and other Islamic interests associated with the Muslim Brotherhood. There is alienation between Israelis and the traditional left-centre Jewish Diaspora in the U.S. with a third of New York Jews voting for Mandani a vehement anti-Zionist in the New York Mayoral election. This is counterbalanced by a growing Jewish Right in America led by Ben Shapiro, David Ruben, Dennis Prager, Mark Levin and Trump advisor Steven Miller who are in political harmony with the Evangelical Right. The Republicans are also approaching a crossroads. Just as the Democrats have been hijacked by the Woke Left there has emerged a virulently anti-Zionist Woke Right led by Tucker Carlson, Nick Fuentes and Candace Owen who are also attempting to hijack the Republicans. What is alarming here, is the fact that the majority of young Republicans under forty now hold an unfavourable view of Israel. So, it is very much a matter of fighting for the future of the Republican Party. The growing populist movements in Britain and Europe may counter the anti-Zionist and anti- Semitic political activities of the Muslim vote and their left-wing allies. In any eventuality, even if the least favourable trajectory of U.S. public opinion were to further materialize it is unlikely to dismantle the massive military and intelligence sharing cooperation between the U.S. and Israel. The Pentagon views Israel as far too big of a strategic asset in a volatile region to cut ties with. (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 June 10, 2026
MAJOR PRAYER REQUEST - STEVE MITCHELL MORIEL ORPHANAGE (Andar Pradesh, INDIA) Please read the enclosed missions report from Moriel Missions Branch India: Our children need us and we put a lot of money into buying and then expanding the Moriel orphanage to take in more children. These precious orphan children are coming to Christ and the devil is angry. Until now we had opposition from radical Sheikhs at the Moriel Horeb church we built in Punjab, but the Hindu Authorities in Andar Pradesh have largely until now left us alone. The BJP government is however as wicked as Hamas or Hezbollah - only Hindu (I was in India when radical Hindus burned the Australian missionary family alive in their car; these are the ones who wanted to murder Steve Mitchell when Moriel helped to quickly get him out of the country some years ago). Some pastors have been murdered again in West Bengal. (Samuel, who oversees the Moriel orphanage went to Bible College with one of them). Because our orphan children are Dalet (treated as subhuman 'out casts' by the Hindu caste system), or from Muslim backgrounds, we have largely been been left alone and some of the local officials liked us. This is obviously not a good situation. Prayer is urgently requested. Please pray for Mark Masih particularly that they will not cancel his visa. They are now forbidding us from bringing any more bibles into the country. What would happen if Britain, Australia, or America outlawed Hindus from bringing the Bhagavad Gita into England, Oz, or the USA? MARANATHA Come Quickly Lord Jesus  "You Will Be Hated By Men For My Name's Sake" Matthew 10:22
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. ‍ ‍