A Chink in the Armor

April 3, 2025

Introduction

Greetings dear friends in the wonderful name of Jesus.

When the Holy Spirit gives us more than one account of something in the Bible it's important and, just as you have four gospel accounts of the same story, in the Old Testament you have Kings and Chronicles, two aspects of the same thing, plus whatever prophet or prophets prophesied during that time. You will find three and four aspects of the same episodes in the Old Testament just as you have in the Gospels. When the Holy Spirit gives us more than one record of something, it's important. Turn with me please to 2 Chronicles 18. This is the parallel account to what we find in 1 Kings 22, but we're reading now from 2 Chronicles 18:1-19:3. Starting in verse 1…

Now Jehoshaphat had great riches and honor and allied himself by marriage with Ahab.

The Danger of Nepotism


Look out for nepotism. Point 1: It is a point of vulnerability. Family loyalties get in the way of doctrinal loyalties. When you see people allied by marriage, or this pastor is that pastor's cousin, or his sister is married to the pastor -- when you see family connections, look out. Anything God intends for good the devil will use for evil. God created families, He created the family structure. But you know what? Jesus said He who loves family more than Me is not worthy of Me. (Math 10:37).

My wife's family are Holocaust survivors, Jews from Eastern Europe who survived the Holocaust. When my wife came to believe that Jesus, Yeshua, was the Jewish Messiah, she was told, "Now you're one of them. They killed us, now you've become one of them." Family loyalties. The devil will use something God intends for good for evil if he can.

Nepotism is the first thing that can predispose a good Christian to compromise with things that he knows are wrong. But let's continue reading this sorry episode about Jehoshaphat. His name in Hebrew is Yahowshaphat (yeh-ho-shaw-fawt) – “Jehovah shall be judge” or “shall judge”.

Jehoshaphat & Ahab


And in 2 Chronicles 18:2-7…

Some years later he went down to visit Ahab at Samaria. And Ahab slaughtered many sheep and oxen for him and the people who were with him, and induced him to go up against Ramoth-gilead. Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth-gilead?” And he said to him, “I am as you are, and my people as your people, and we will be with you in the battle.”

Moreover, Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the Lord.” Then the king of Israel assembled the prophets, four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall we go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I refrain?” And they said, “Go up, for God will give it into the hand of the king.” But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not yet a prophet of the Lord here that we may inquire of him?” The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me but always evil. He is Micaiah, son of Imla.” But Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so.”

I hate him, he never prophesies good. False prophets will always tell people what they want to hear. True prophets will only tell people what they need to hear.

2 Chronicles 18:8-19:3…

Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Bring quickly Micaiah, Imla’s son.” Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, and they were sitting at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them. Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made horns of iron for himself and said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘With these you shall gore the Arameans until they are consumed.’” All the prophets were prophesying thus, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and succeed, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.”

Then the messenger who went to summon Micaiah spoke to him saying, “Behold, the words of the prophets are uniformly favorable to the king. So please let your word be like one of them and speak favorably.” But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, what my God says, that I will speak.”

When he came to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I refrain?” He said, “Go up and succeed, for they will be given into your hand.” Then the king said to him, “How many times must I adjure you to speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?” So he said,
“I saw all Israel Scattered on the mountains, Like sheep which have no shepherd; And the Lord said, ‘These have no master. Let each of them return to his house in peace.’”
Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”

Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right and on His left. The Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said this while another said that. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will entice him.’ And the Lord said to him, ‘How?’ He said, ‘I will go and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ Then He said, ‘You are to entice him and prevail also. Go and do so.’ Now therefore, behold, the Lord has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of these your prophets, for the Lord has proclaimed disaster against you.”

Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, “How did the Spirit of the Lord pass from me to speak to you?” Micaiah said, “Behold, you will see on that day when you enter an inner room to hide yourself.” Then the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son; and say, ‘Thus says the king, “Put this man in prison and feed him sparingly with bread and water until I return safely.”’” Micaiah said, “If you indeed return safely, the Lord has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Listen, all you people.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up against Ramoth-gilead. The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you put on your robes.”

So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle. Now the king of Aram had commanded the captains of his chariots, saying, “Do not fight with small or great, but with the king of Israel alone.” So when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “It is the king of Israel,” and they turned aside to fight against him. But Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him, and God diverted them from him. When the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him. A certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel in a joint of the armor. So he said to the driver of the chariot, “Turn around and take me out of the fight, for I am severely wounded.” The battle raged that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot in front of the Arameans until the evening; and at sunset he died.

Then Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned in safety to his house in Jerusalem. Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord and so bring wrath on yourself from the Lord? But there is some good in you, for you have removed the Asheroth from the land and you have set your heart to seek God.”

When Good Leaders Become Involved with Bad Ones


King Jehoshaphat was a good man, a righteous man. Every king of Israel was a backslider. Most of the kings of Judah were backslidden, but Jehoshaphat was a good king, in fact a very good king. What happens when good leaders become involved with bad ones? I do not believe in guilt by association. The Bible says nothing about guilt by association. But guilt by cooperation? Guilt by participation? Guilt by identification? When a good man will get on a platform or on a television program with somebody who is heretical, with someone who is apostate or immoral, you are implicitly endorsing that person's ministry and allowing yourself to be identified with him.

I was watching some TBN just yesterday. I couldn't believe how horrific some of it was. When an unsaved person watches that, they think that being born again is a con job. They've made "born again" a household joke all over the world, at least for people all over the developed world. It's getting more and more difficult to share Jesus, to preach the Gospel, to give the message of salvation to the lost because of what Satan has done with “Christian” TV, so-called. We'd be better off with no Christian TV than 99% of what we have today and I'm convinced of that fact. Anything that powerful Satan had to corrupt, and he's done it. Unsaved people see the idiot box and they think we're all idiots. They think we're all con artists. If good men go on there they become identified with the bad men. When Jehoshaphat rode in the chariot of Ahab, he became confused with Ahab.

But let's look at the passage from the beginning. Again the Holy Spirit has given us more than one account. In the I Kings version at the end of chapter 21 Ahab repented. (1King 21:27-29). Bad kings are great for repenting, but every time they repent they come back twice as notorious as they had been. If Benny Hinn repents again I'm going to duck for cover. Every time that man repents he comes back worse. What does this mean? Why? He is married to Jezebel. Jezebel is a biblical metaphor for the spirit of false religion. What does the Lord Jesus say of Jezebel? Revelation 2:20...

‘But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.

It is a Satanic seduction by false religion of which the woman Jezebel is typologically the personification. In other words, she represents spiritual seduction; that's what Jesus said. You become like the people you're married to.

I'm married to a Jewish neurotic. I think it's the family history of escaping Pogroms. My wife checks the gas jets three times before we go to sleep, and she checks every window in the house at least twice. We live in England. Here it is, late at night, she put the lights out and she'll say to me in Hebrew "Yacov, did you check the window in the kitchen?" "Yes, Pavia I checked the window in the kitchen, good night." Did I check that window in the kitchen? Now, she's making me nuts. I take a flashlight down three flights of stairs, the kids sleep on the second floor – we sleep on the top and the kitchen is on the ground floor – so there I go late at night.

You become like the people you're married to. Well, Ahab is married to Jezebel, the seductress who beguiled Israel into pagan demonic belief. What happens next? Jehoshaphat is a good king but there's a family connection: Nepotism.

I know two Jewish mission boards that were undermined, basically destroyed by nepotism -- two mission boards to the Jews became family enterprises. I've known churches where family loyalties destroyed the fellowship. If somebody disagreed it was like going against the family. Dangerous thing. Anything God intends for good the devil will use for evil and nepotism predisposes us to certain things.

The Enemy Within


But going back to 2 Chronicles 18 here is the line you'll always get – this is what Ahab will say. "We have a common enemy. My people are as your people, my God is as your God, we're brothers. We have to have unity; we have to be united to overcome the opposition. Can't you see, the abortion rate is going through the roof? Can't you see homosexuality is influencing the schools and the media? Can't you see Eastern religion and the cults are growing? We can't afford to be divided. We have to stand together to save God's land. We have to be united. We can't go on bickering against each other. Oh, I know we've had our differences but we can't afford that anymore. There's a common enemy. My people are as your people; my God is as your God. After all we're all born again Christians." Sounds very convincing, sounds very logical. To a degree it even sounds initially biblical.

As I pointed out yesterday, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth and He is the Spirit of Holiness. There cannot be a unity of the Spirit where there is heresy and immorality. Oh, we have a common enemy! An external enemy is easy to deal with; an internal enemy is something else. When Jesus warned about false prophets of the Last Days He was not primarily warning about the Moonies or the Jehovah's Witnesses or the Mormons. I have no doubt that the proliferation of the cults is in itself of some prophetic significance, but those are not the false prophets He was mainly warning us about. He's warning about those who would come into evangelical churches and try to seduce us. It is the internal enemies that are the most dangerous. Until we deal with the enemy in here we are not going to be in a position to deal with the one out there.

But you'll always get the same story "Don't be negative. Don't be too critical. We have to unite. We have to stand together in face of the common threat." And then as the family element comes in, look out.

Look how the king ingratiates himself. Ahab puts on a big party, a big splurge. He slaughters all these animals and he throws a big, big banquet. That's what he does. These people know how to ingratiate themselves. People with an agenda know how to con and manipulate. They learn it from their wife, Jezebel.

Look at how many people have met John Paul II. The Vatican a few months ago issued a statement saying it was the one true Church. In Mexico in 1999 John Paul II told the Catholics to "rise up against the Protestants", quote unquote. He makes no secret of his agenda. A man who says Mary co-redeemed us? A man who prays to the dead? Makes no secret of his agenda. Yet one evangelical after another will call him the "holy father" despite the fact that Jesus said, "call no man your father." And they say, "Oh, the pope was so wonderful, so gracious. He's such a kind man. How can you speak against him? I met him, he was so this, he was so that ..." They know how to ingratiate themselves. What does Paul say about Lucifer? He comes as an angel of light. And so will his servants. They know how to ingratiate themselves, just like Merodach-Baladan came to seduce Hezekiah. (Isaiah 38:1-8)He brought him some presents. "I heard you were ill." Oh, what a caring person. He was the king of Babylon, he had an agenda, but he was a manipulating con artist.

Well, king Jehoshaphat gets sucked in. There's a family connection but then there are other connections, "Yeah, we have a common enemy. We can't be negative. We shouldn't be critical. We don't want to be divisive." The word "divisive" in Romans 16:17 is dichostasia (dee-khos-tas-ee) where you get the English word “dichotomy”. It says divisive people are the ones who leave the teaching of the New Testament, who depart from the doctrine of the Apostles.

I'm not divisive by warning about Benny Hinn or Kenneth Copeland. If the Benny Hinns and Kenneth Copelands have gone away from the teachings of the New Testament, they are the divisive ones by biblical definition. I haven't departed from New Testament doctrine. If I did, please show me where, I want to repent of it. But these days it's the one who upholds New Testament doctrine who becomes divisive. They make an idol out of this unity but it's not the unity of the Spirit. Paul tells us in 1 Cor 11:19 there must be factions among you to prove which is true. That word for factions in Greek is hairesis (hah'-ee-res-is) where we get the word “heresy”. Heresy is meant to bring division. And so much of what's being propagated in the Church today is purely heretical.

But let's go further. Jehoshaphat gets sucked in but he has his doubts. He's a good king and he is, to some degree, hearing from the Lord. Notice what they do at the banquet. One false prophet after another, 400 of them, come and put on a show and give positive words. False prophets will always tell you what you want to hear, not what you need to hear. They'll always tickle your ears and be well paid for the privilege. They are con men. A true prophet was outnumbered 400 to 1.

Well, I'll tell you what, for everybody telling the truth today in the prophetic there are "400 false prophets" in the body of Christ. What Jesus said would happen in the Last Days is happening. Very few are telling the truth, many are compromising with what they know is false, but very, very, very many are giving you a lot of hype and false doctrine.

Only one man stood up, Micaiah, but at the end of the day it was only his prophesy that mattered. You see in the days of Jeremiah and Baruch there were thousands of false prophets – thousands – but nobody has ever heard of them. At the end of the day everybody heard of Jeremiah. It is only Jeremiah who really speaks God's word and who is going to matter. That's the bottom line, the one prophet who tells the truth. So Jehoshaphat says, "Let me hear him."

Now you have to understand the Hebrew language. There's a connection between the name “Micaiah” – "he who is like unto Yahweh", and “Jehoshaphat” – "Jehovah/Yahweh" In Hebrew there's a root that shows etymological similitude. If you don't know what that is, don't worry about it. It's one of those things they teach you in theological cemetery, I mean seminary. There's a kindred spirit of some sort here. Micaiah comes. Now notice what Micaiah says when they ask him. At first Micaiah says "Yeah, go ahead, God will give them into your hand." He says the same things the false prophets say. God's judgment comes in three phases on a backslidden people.

God First Stops Correcting


The first phase is "Yeah, go ahead." He stops correcting. It is the son whom He loves that he corrects. (Heb 12:6) Why is it that faithful Christians have the most of what we call in Yiddish "suris" problems, trials, and difficulties? It's because God has given the carnal Christian over to their own fleshly desires. He's only trying to correct the faithful ones. That's why faithful Christians have more problems than unfaithful ones. It's only the son He loves whom He corrects. The others are backslidden, if they were ever saved to begin with. God stops correcting! Watch out when God stops correcting, when He gives them over. In Romans He gives people over to unnatural depravity, (Rom 1:24-25) then that happens to those who claim to be His people. It's like the prophet Amos' son Loammi--"they're not my people anymore". (Hosea 1:9)God gives them over. "Go ahead, do it" says Micaiah.

Now King Ahab knows this is not what God is saying. You see these wicked men, wicked leaders, know they're crooked. It says in Timothy that they are both deceiving and being deceived. For they are deceived themselves but they also know their deceivers. (2 Titus 3:13) "Go ahead, do it". Ahab knows it and says "That can't be right". Ahab knew it. So tell me, says Ahab, and Micaiah says, "I'll tell you: I saw Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep which have no shepherd."

Next God Removes Leadership


Now you have to understand the role of the kings of Israel as a shepherd. King David is the Old Testament shadow of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Jesus is the Good Shepherd in John 10. In Psalm 23 Yehovah ra'ah – “The Lord is my shepherd”. David is the Old Testament type or shadow of Jesus as King. How good a pastor (the word for “pastor” and “shepherd” is the same word in Hebrew and Greek), how good a pastor/shepherd somebody is in the Church is how much like Jesus they are. Peter tells us that in his epistle. 1 Peter 5;1-4) How good a shepherd a pastor is depends on how much like Jesus he is. The Old Testament shadow of this is seen in how good a king was, and that was measured by how much like King David he was. That's why you see kings in the book of Proverbs or kings in Chronicles compared to David. "He went after Me like his father David" or "You have not sought Me as your father David did". David becomes the barometer of faithfulness because he's the shadow of Christ as Shepherd. Here Micaiah says "These people, they don't have any shepherd." He's telling the king, as far as God's concerned, you're not a real leader.

That is the second stage of God's judgment on a backslidden people. He removes leadership and replaces them with pulpit politicians. He removes leaders, He replaces them with hirelings. He removes leaders, He lets them have theocrats -- not shepherds. First phase of God's judgment, He stops correcting -- treats people just like the world, gives them over. Second stage of his judgment, he removes real leadership. People wind up with the leaders they deserve. That's true of nations in the book of Daniel. He establishes kings and removes kings (Dn 2;21). It's true in the political realm and it's true in the Church. He removes leadership.

Finally God Sends Deception


But then comes the third phase of God's judgment and that's the frightening one. He sends a deception. Remember in Kings and Chronicles and in Samuel, one time David numbered the people – the Lord motivated him to do it – and another time it was the devil. Was it the Lord or was it the devil that motivated David to number the people? Well, it was actually God using the devil.

Turn with me please to 2 Thessalonians 2 where it speaks of the antichrist, the man of perdition. It's speaking of the Last Days. It's speaking in verse 3 of the apostasia, in Greek, the “falling away” that will come with the manifestation of the antichrist. But look what it says in verse 11…

For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.

The Truth is the Word of God. Jesus is the Truth; He's the Word, the Logos. If somebody doesn't love the Truth of Scripture, they don't love Jesus Christ. They can say all they want, have all the hallelujahs they want -- if they don't love the Truth of the Word of God they don't love the Word of God Who is Jesus, the Incarnate Logos. If you don't love the Bible you don't love Jesus Christ as far as God's concerned, that's it. "If you love Me keep My commandments." 9John 14:15) You don't love Him if you don't love His Word. And if people don't love the Truth, they don't love Jesus. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. (John 14:6) And if they don't love Him it tells us why. It's because, in some way, they are taking pleasure in wickedness. When you find so called Christians who don't love the truth it's because they are taking pleasure in wickedness. Therefore the Lord will send upon them a deluding influence that they may believe what is false.

How will the antichrist con people? He's the ultimate judgment. God gives them over to his influence. If people can't see through an obvious false prophet and false teacher like Benny Hinn – if you can't see through Benny Hinn or Kenneth Copeland – what is going to happen when this stuff comes down? Therefore the Lord will send a deluding influence. In the book of Zechariah typologically the antichrist is called the "agent of God." It's a frightening prospect. It is a judgment.

Several years ago, in England where I live, I was frantically trying to stop the explosion of the things like the laughing and drunken revival from Toronto and Pensacola. I was trying to stop it but the Lord said "No, don't. You're not going to stop this." You can only warn the elect. You can rescue those who are honestly deceived but you can't stop it. Why? What you see today with the money preachers – the faith prosperity heretics, what you see with Toronto; what you see with the ecumenical movement – these things are not simply deceptions; they are judgments from God on a backslidden Church. It is God's judgment on Laodicea. (Rev 3:14-22) The Lord will send a delusion that they may believe what is false. Remember that Laodicea is blind and it's first problem is that it doesn't know it's Laodicea. The Lord will send a delusion. Judgment begins in the house of God. It will not begin on Freemasons it will not begin on false religions; it will not begin on corrupt businessmen on Wall Street or corrupt politicians – it begins in the house of God. Judgment will come on the Church before it comes on this nation, and it's coming on this nation. For abortion alone it must come, but it will come on the Church first.

The Working of God's Judgment

 

  • Phase 1, God stops correcting. If you can't see through this, all the scandals with PTL and the rest of it--if you can't see through it God will give you over to it. He'll stop correcting.
  • Phase 2, He'll remove real leadership. And he's already done that in Great Britain. America is going the same way.
  • Phase 3, then He'll send a delusion.

Notice what God tells these lying spirits "Go and prevail." Go and succeed. Now when God sends a delusion look out. However He does nothing without revealing it to His servants, the prophets. (Amos 3:7) Micaiah knew it. Those who really love Jesus and read His Word will understand by the Spirit of God what is going on. When the Lord sends this kind of a judgment, those who are truly His will know it. Three stages of judgment and, my friends, my great fear – and in fact it's no longer a fear it is past that – we've come into that third phase. God is certainly, certainly not correcting these people anymore. He's given them over, treating them like the unsaved, and many of them are unsaved. He's removing leadership, and thirdly He's going to give them over.

Riding in Ahab's Chariot


So there they go to battle now. Look at Jehoshaphat, a righteous king who should have known better. He was suspicious to begin with, he had a true word from a true prophet, and yet there he goes riding in Ahab's chariot. Why did Ahab want him in the chariot? Why does TBN want to get people like Chuck Missler, Josh McDowell Greg Laurie on it? Why do they want to get good men, godly men on it? There are three reasons.

First, they're trying to give themselves a credibility they can't get otherwise. People then think, "Well, if so-and-so is on there and he's a man of God it must be all right." They're trying to get an endorsement. They're trying to give themselves a credibility that they couldn't get on their own. "I know I'm no good but if I align myself with somebody who is good God will bless me." That's how they think. "If he's in on it then God will have to bless us ‘cause he's a good guy."

Secondly, they're looking for a fall guy. They're looking for somebody to be left holding the bag when the ship sinks. "It’s his fault." Ahab always has an agenda. But there goes Jehoshaphat! Even though the Lord warned him, he gets in that chariot. And what happens when he gets in that chariot?

Three, he becomes confused with Ahab. They think its Ahab. When you ride in Ahab's chariot you become confused with Ahab, people confuse you with him. When people see good preachers on platforms at conferences and on television with heretics, you become confused with them.

I know very, very well that Chuck Missler, Greg Laurie, and Ray Comfort are men of God. I know that Josh McDowell s a man of God. I know what they believe. They believe largely what I believe. These are not bad men; these are good men like Jehoshaphat. But when they get on a platform or on the TV screen with bad men, people put them in the same category and my fear is they make themselves a target. Some people will tar them all with the same brush. Yet men like , , and will have no part in heresy and hype-artistry. It is a disgrace how apostate money preachers misuse the names of godly men to give themselves credibility, even though the honest preachers do not share the mammon worship which the Prosperity disguise with Christian jargon. "Oh, he's one of them." And a young believer will see this. It gives heretics credibility, even though the good men know personally it's wrong.

Now Jehoshaphat has made himself a target. He's allowed himself to be confused with Ahab and now he's a target and the arrows are flying. Ahab wants somebody to hold the bag, and I'm telling you that TBN and Hinnand that crowd – they are going to go the same way as the PTL club. And I tremble for the good brethren who have allowed themselves to be identified with that wickedness, but they're going to be caught in the crossfire when it happens.

But let's go further. Jehoshaphat calls out to the Lord. God intervenes. The Lord steps in and saves his neck. God will stand by right men. Right men can make bad mistakes. Godly men can make serious errors. Some of the greatest men in the Bible did some of the most foolish things. In my own life as a Christian I have done things that have been so, not just wrong, but stupid, I don't know how I could have done it. I take no pleasure in admitting this, nonetheless it is true. But God is gracious. God saved Jehoshaphat's neck the first time.

The Chink in the Armor


Let's see what happens next. So they go after Ahab. Ahab is trying to be slick, trying to find the fall guy, but he didn't take account of something. There was a chink in his armor. In Ephesians 6:13 we see what that armor is. The chink here is where the breastplate met the shoulder. The breastplate of "righteousness". Sin finds people out – finds the chink in the armor.

I once saw a Roman legionnaire's armor on display in Rome. It's very big and the biggest is the breastplate. The breastplate of righteousness. When Paul spoke about the armor he used something that Jews would have understood because the armor is also in Isaiah, but it’s also something the Greeks and Romans would have understood well. The armor was there, the breastplate of righteousness. Ephesians 6:13 tells us we are to put it on so that you may stand firm. Ahab put on his armor but there was a chink in it and that arrow found it. He came into judgment and was destroyed. They didn't get the victory over the Arameans. They didn't get it. Look at what he says in 1 Kings 22:3…
Now the king of Israel said to his servants, “Do you know that Ramoth-gilead belongs to us, and we are still doing nothing to take it out of the hand of the king of Aram?”

"We've got to get the victory over these unbelievers, over these pagans, over the homosexual lobby, over the pro abortion lobby, over the Moslems, over the Freemasons, over the Mormons, the Jehovah Witnesses. We've got to get the victory. We have to claim the land back for Christ. We've got to stand together." That's what they say. They will never get the victory over the enemy. Never! A false brother is not your ally. He is your liability. He'll never win. God won't use people like that. There's a chink in their armor.

So what happens next? They lose the battle but a gracious and merciful God intervenes on Jehoshaphat's behalf. Then in 2 Chronicles 19:2…

Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord and so bring wrath on yourself from the Lord?

Should you help the wicked? They hate the Lord. These money preachers hate the real Jesus Christ. They worship mammon. They may call their god "Jesus", but their god is mammon. They call the sin of covetousness "faith". They have a different god, a different "Jesus". They hate the real Jesus. They don't want a Jesus who says, "Pick up your cross and follow me" they want a "Jesus" who is going to give you another Mercedes. And they admit it. They're false brethren. And when you ride in his chariot – you ride in his Mercedes, you get on his TV show – you're going to get confused with him and make yourself a target, and nothing other than the intervention of the merciful God will save your neck. Why do you get involved with those who hate the Lord? Why are you on that idiot TV show? Why are you on that platform with these heretics? Can't you see you'll be confused with them? Can't you see that you're going to give the impression, to the unbelievers that you agree with them?

The Danger of Not Listening


I only wish that Jehoshaphat, a good king, had listened. But we find out 2 Chronicles 20 that he didn't. Verse 35…

After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah allied himself with Ahaziah king of Israel.

He does it again…

He acted wickedly in so doing. So he allied himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Ezion-geber. Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat saying, “Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the Lord has destroyed your works.” So the ships were broken and could not go to Tarshish.

The second time, God's judgment comes. The first time God rescues him and rebukes him. The second time, "Are you going to do it again?" And they do it again. They lose all they've built.

You see men of God, who built what God has blessed and used, put those things at risk for the folly of riding in Ahab's chariot, for going on idiot TV. Why? is a man of God. is a man of God. a man of God. is a man of God. There are enough churches, enough people, and enough money in to make their own Christian TV channels. They don't need to get involved with those people, and I say that in love. But it's not just them. How can good men get involved with the Ecumenical Movement? How can you get involved with these people?

This is Hawaii – you see more of it on the mainland, but on the mainland in most Calvary Chapels nearly three out of four people are ex-Roman Catholics. How many people here are ex-Roman Catholics? Put your hands up. See these people? The Roman Catholic Church says, "You are going to hell because you left the one true church; because you no longer believe that salivation is by sacraments; because you no longer believe that you have to atone for your own sin in purgatory." Yet major evangelical leaders – , , , one after another – are lining up with the very "church" who’s cursing them, that is sending their families to hell? I've got a Catholic mother who trusts in a statue of Mary for her salvation instead of Jesus Christ. How can good men get involved with that? But then again, once God corrects them, how can they be involved? But they're doing it.

The Overall Working of Judgment


Nepotism, family loyalty, friendship – "I've known him 20 years. My brother's married to his sister" – all this predisposes you to it. Then they give you the line, "We have to be united. We have to stand together. We have a common enemy. There's a common threat. We're all brothers. We're all born again, one Faith one Baptism. Let's stand together. We can't be negative, we can't be critical, and we have to accept each other." Why do you love those who hate the Lord? God warned Jehoshaphat. See, he knew those 400 false prophets were false. All these guys – the Kansas City Prophets and all these hype-artists – Rick Joyner, one after another – are proven false prophets by biblical definition. They are proven false prophets. They're as false as the false prophets of any other cult. Jehoshaphat knew it. They give a big banquet, a big show, a big celebration praise, a big Pensacola Pepsi Cola Seven-Up, whatever it is this week. One after another, prophesying victory, but there is no victory. Now God's judgment comes. He stops correcting, He removes real leadership, and He gives them over to it.

And they get angry with Micaiah they smack him. They say, "You're the false prophet." Bang. "Lock him up till I get back." And Micaiah says, "No you're not coming back, otherwise I'm a false prophet."

Notice only a true prophet will prophesy something in the name of the Lord and say "hold me to it." A Rick Joyner or a Gerald Coates will never do that. A Kim Clement will never do that. They hate the true prophet even though he's right.

Then Jehoshaphat goes right out and steps into Ahab's chariot. He becomes confused with Ahab and they begin shooting him. God is merciful, but then God rebukes. God corrects but he still doesn't listen, he does it again. Then his ships are broken up and he never makes it to Tarshish.

Conclusion


What a tragedy when God has blessed and raised people up and given them something to do, then all they've built crumbles. They never reach the goal. They never make their appointed destiny. They never get to where God meant for them to go and do what He has for them to do. They lose it. When you ride in Ahab's chariot, you become identified with Ahab. You're in bed with him; he's in bed with Jezebel. You're in bed with the pope, the pope's in bed with the Dali Lama. That's what it comes to.

That's the way it was, that's the way it is, that's the way it's going to be.

The prayer of my heart is that the Jehoshaphats of our day, the godly men, men I know are good men, will get out of that chariot before they get shot. Get off that idiot TV box, get off that platform, don't give Ahab a place in your church, don't distribute that literature, don't sell those books in your bookshop, do not love those who hate the Lord your God.

Jehoshaphat was a good man, a good man who made bad errors. And right before our eyes there are good men today making that same bad errors. May God in His mercy correct them and protect us. God bless you and thank you.

Circling the Wagons

By David Passmore • July 14, 2026
Circling the wagons Ruben Rothler LLB, LLM Israel is a society riddled with tension and division. It is sociologically, if not politically miraculous that a country drawing Jews from all over the world is able to exist at all. The army affords a degree of integration as a melting pot. But this is only a marginal source of national unity in the overall scheme of things. More so are the myriads of external threats that face this small country. In the former generation the Ashkenazi (Jews of European descent) - Sephardic (Jews of Oriental descent) divide was far more pronounced. The dominant Ashkenazi establishment held the reins of political and economic power which was resented by the Sephardim. However, due to a combination of inter-marriage and political accommodation much of the chasm that separated these distinct groups was forged. Menachem Begin (an Ashkenazi politician) in 1970 successfully ran on the Likud Party ticket with a campaign that brought Sephardic Jews under his conservative political umbrella. Later the immigration of Russian Jews following the end of Communism would add a whole new dimension to the Israeli demographic milieu. The younger generation of these immigrants tended to adapt well to Israeli society and contributed much to the economy. The wider division in Israeli society that crosses ethnic lines concerns that between religious and secular Jews. This can be further bifurcated to the clash between the secular and specifically ultra-orthodox Jews (Haredim) as distinguished from the national religious Jews (Dati Leumi). The Secular and the Religious generally part on what they envisage a Jewish State to entail. Religious Jews desire the State to strictly adhere to the stipulations of Jewish Law (Halacha), while at present Halakhic influence is largely limited to certain areas of Family Law concerning Jewish citizens. Wider considerations of promoting a socially conservative political agenda would also be forefront amongst the religious mindset broadly. Secular Jews view the imposition of such proposed measures as a serious infringement of their civil rights. With regard to the Haredim, the bone of contention looms larger, in that this group is fundamentally opposed to participating in society at large. This is acutely manifested in diminished contribution to the work force and a refusal to be conscripted into the army. The 2023 judicial reform protests posed a significant threat to social civil order. The nation appeared to be bitterly divided into two opposing camps. This split reflected broader divisions concerning visions of how the country should be governed. The judicial reforms would have weakened the Supreme Court's ability to render the Executive branch accountable. However, the Supreme Court was also accused of using its considerable powers to promote a socially liberal agenda. Left wing secular Israelis tended to oppose the proposed reforms while those on the right (which included the majority of Religious Jews) supported the reforms. Every weekend droves of protesters were brought onto the streets causing major disturbances to traffic. The polarising nature of this impasse threatened the future of Israeli democracy. It was the October 7th attack that brought a swift end to this public debate and civil strife. The nation instinctually united in response to this common existential threat. The judicial reforms were shelved for a future point when the urgent security threats subsided. However, as the war dragged on the enduring issue of Haredi refusal to conscript into the army became more pronounced. Mounting casualties combined with ever increasing manpower demands to field troops on the multiple theatres of action on which the IDF is engaged has depleted the ranks, and the army is now in much need of fresh conscripts. Haredi belligerent refusal to participate in the pressing national defence has escalated from being a political debate to a matter of very practical vital importance. Overall we can observe that the challenges to national unity in successive generations since the establishment of Israel has recurrently been ameliorated by the common necessity of defence towards outside threats. Most recently we can see this happening with regard to the global anti Semitism and anti-Zionism that has been raging since the October 7th atrocities. These hostile attitudes have paradoxically acted as a force which promotes nationalism and a sense of national cohesion in Israel that otherwise might not functionally exist.  (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).

A Divided Nation

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).

Why Is It Always Israel? | Zechariah 12 Is Happening Before Our Eyes

By David Passmore • June 29, 2026
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Pray for South Africa!

By Mea Fredrickson • June 23, 2026
New Paragraph

Disclosure - A Christian response

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)

Prayer request for Teerth Sond

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

The End of an Extended Honeymoon – Are Trump and Netanyahu Parting Ways?

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.

The Battle for Israel's Reputation

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).

Urgent prayer request - India

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

Staying the course amidst isolation

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).