One Messiah Two Comings - Afrikaans

April 1, 2025

Een Messias, Twee Verskynings

En toe Hy nog saam met hulle was, het Hy aan hulle bevel gegee om nie van Jerusalem weg te gaan nie, maar om te wag op die belofte van die Vader, wat julle, het Hy gesê, van My gehoor het. 

Want Johannes het wel met water gedoop, maar julle sal met die Heilige Gees gedoop word nie lank na hierdie dae nie. Die wat bymekaar gekom het, vra Hom toe en sê: Here, gaan U in hierdie tyd die koninkryk vir Israel weer oprig? En Hy antwoord hulle: Dit kom julle nie toe om die tye of geleenthede te weet wat die Vader deur Sy eie mag bepaal het nie; maar julle sal krag ontvang wanneer die Heilige Gees oor julle kom, en julle sal My getuies wees in Jerusalem sowel as in die hele Judéa en Samaria en tot aan die uiterste van die aarde. (Hand.1:4?8) Die mense met Restorasie denke vra die vraag: "Here gaan U in hierdie tyd die koninkryk weer oprig?"

Die term, "Restorasie" word vandag weer oral gehoor: Die heropbouing van die koninkryk. Hierdie term egter word net een keer in die Nuwe Testament gebruik, nie in die konteks van herstelling van die triomferende kerk nie, maar van Israel. Hierdie beweging se doelwit is om drie dinge te herstel wat, om mee te begin, egter nooit bestaan het nie!

Die eerste ding wat hulle probeer herstel is 'n uitgawe van die eskatologie, 'n oordrewe verwerklikheid. Dit word genoem: Die heersers (Dominionism) of oorwinnaars. Dit is die dwaaldenke dat die kerk sal heers vir Christus vóór Christus se wederkoms en die oprigting van Sy Koninkryk.

Die waarheid egter, is dat dat daar eers 'n groot afval gaan kom en dan sal die kerk aan die einde wel triomfeer, maar, dit is absoluut afhanklik van die wederkoms van Christus. "En die God van vrede sal die Satan spoedig onder julle voete verbrysel." (Rom.16:20) Daniël praat ook spesifiek en reguit van die vervolging wat in die laaste dae sal plaasvind.??"Ek het gesien dat hierdie horing (Hy praat hier van die Antichris) oorlog voer teen die heiliges en hulle oorwin todat die Oue van Dae kom en aan die heiliges van die Allerhoogste reg verskaf is en die bepaalde tyd gekom het dat die heiliges die koninkryk in besit geneem het. (Dan.7:21?22) Die Koninkryk nou Teologie maak valslik daarop aanspraak dat die heiliges eers in beheer van hierdie koninkryk moet kom vóór Christus se wederkoms terwyl die Woord van die Here dit baie duidelik stel dat dit eers gaan gebeur ná die wederkoms van Christus! Hierdie dwaling het egter al verskeie kere, meestal by draai punte in wêreld geskiedenis, in sekere tydperke van die kerk geskiedenis sy kop uitgesteek. Gedurende die agteruitgang van die Romeinse Ryk was dit bekend as Montanisme, (2 N.C.) wat dieselfde chaotiese toestand veroorsaak het in die gemeentes as wat ons dit vandag weer sien met die moderne Restorasie beweging waar die klem weer verskuif het na wonders en tekens wat mense mislei en in hierdie beweging intrek sonder enige Bybelse Teologiese kennis.

Valse Profesiee

Gedurende die herlewings tydperk was dit die Munster Anababtiste wat die volgeling was van die profete van Zwickow?Hierdie was 'n groep wat dieselfde dinge gedoen het as wat die Kansas profete vandag doen??, }}HULLE PROFETEER DINGE WAT NIE GEBEUR NIE!

Die tweede ding wat hierdie beweging probeer om te herstel is die beskouing van die profetiese gesag, wat totaal onbybels is. Die Bybelse siening van 'n profetiese gesag is dat 'n profeet verantwoordelik is vir wat hy sê. So was daar 'n persoon van die 'Vineyard' beweging wat beweer dat die Nuwe Testament leer dat ons net gedeeltelik in profesieë kan reg wees. En so kan John Wimber en Paul Caine (En andere) profeteer in die Naam van die HERE en net half reg en half verkeerd wees en nog steeds Bybelse profete wees?!! Hierdie idee is absoluut vals en uiters gevaarlik, sulke mense is mislei en hulle bedrieg en mislei onskuldige mense.

Derdens probeer hulle om 'n uitgawe van Apostoliese gesag weer in te stel wat ook onbybels is. Apostoliese gesag volgens die Skrifte was hoofsaaklik Skriftuurlik, en die vraag is: Bestaan die Apostoliese gesag, soos wat dit aan die twaalf Apostels gegee is, nog net so in die kerk van vandag? Ja, beslis, dit bestaan en word bewaar deur die Heilige Gees in die Geskrifte van die Apostels en van Paulus.

Daar was ook ander soorte Apostels, kerkbouers en bediening onder hulle, maar soos wat ons dit in die Nuwe Testament sien, was die Apostoliese gesag meervoudig.

Die Heilige Gees sê: Sonder nou Bárnabas en Saulus vir My af vir die werk waarvoor Ek julle geroep het" (Hand.13:2) Jesus stuur die Apostels twee twee uit, en so is Skriftuurlike Gesag altyd meervoudig.

Die model egter, in die huiskerk skemas van die restorasie bewegings, is gebasseer op 'n piramiede gesag struktuur waar die apostel die hoofsweep is. Wat hulle dus hier het is 'n Apostoliese gesag wat niks anders as 'n tipe van 'n swaarhand leierskap is nie (Niko?Laïete) Skriftuurlike Apostoliese gesag word altyd gekenmerk aan verantwoordelikheid, en Paulus en Barnabas was altyd verantwoordelik aan die gesag uit Antiochië, en bo dit is die Bybelse Apostoliese gesag gekenmerk deur die onderdanigheid aan mekaar soos in Hand. 15, en dit was nooit 'n eenman vertoning nie.

Wat die restorasie beweging vandag beskou as apostoliese gesag is niks ander as swaarhand leierskap idees wat gebasseer is op Gnostisme. Hierdie mense maak aanspraak dat net hulle 'n subjektiewe openbaring of "kennis" (Gnosis) het, en as 'n persoon 'n saak nie kan insien nie, dan maak hulle daarop aanspraak dat die mens mislei is! Waarlike hernuwing of restorasie het niks te doen met die kerk nie maar met die heropbou van Israel.

Die vervangings beweging het die idee dat die kerk in die plek van Israel gekom het, en ontken enige betrokkenheid van Israel en die Jode in die eindtyd profesieë, dit is ook totaal onbybels en onskriftuurlik. Rom.11 leer dat Israel die "Wortel" is, en die wortel dra die boom, nie die boom die wortel nie, die wortel is onder die grond en omdat dit nie gesien kan word nie, beteken dit nie dat dit nie daar is nie. As die boom nie 'n wortel het nie sal hy doodgaan. Dus, as dit klaar is met Israel, dan is dit ook klaar met die kerk. As God Israel verwerp het omrede hulle sondes en ongehoorsaamheid, dan het onseVader net soveel rede om die kerk te verwerp, indien nie meer nie! Die sondes van Israel kan baie maklik in en

deur die hele kerk dispensasie waargeneem word asook die offering van kinderjies aan afgode soos wat ons vadag sien in die skreiende groot getalle aborsies wat uitgevoer word in die Weste, die sogenaamde "Christen demokrasie??"

Rom.11 leer dat die Heidende wat tot bekering kom, en Jesus Christus aanvaar as hulle Verlosser, die Jode vervang wat Hom verwerp, hulle is egter net ingeënt in die takke, maar die wortel bly nog steeds Israel. Alles onder die grond is die Ou Testament Israel, en dit is nie 'n vervanging nie, en dit alles is net 'n restorasie van Israel, die wortel is en bly steeds Israel.

Die oorspronklike takke was Joods en net so was die eerste Christene ook Jode. Die skrywers van die Nuwe Testament was Jode en die laaste Christene sal ook Jode wees.

Koning Jesus praat van die omvattende herstel van Israel in die Berg Rede?Jerusalem sal vertrap word deur die nasies totdat die tye van die nasies vervul is (Luk.21:24) Koning Jesus gebruik dieselfde woorde wat Paulus gebruik het in Rom.11:25 behalwe dat Christus gepraat het van Israel as 'n volk. Die tye van die nasies word in Rom.11 bespreek in die konteks van verlossing van Israel, maar in die bergrede (Luk.21) is dit Israel in die Eindtyd. Die finale betekenis van die tye van die nasies wat tot 'n einde kom is gebonde aan die profesie van Daniël. God se uiteindelike reddings plan vir die wêreld berus op die verlossing van Israel en die vervulling van die Doelwit van onse HERE, profeties is dit die herstel of restorasie van Israel. Hier is 'n nasionale aspek in bespreking, meer belangrik,'n verlossings plan soos in Rom.11:15: "Want as hulle verwerping die versoening van die wêreld is, wat sal hulle aanneming anders wees as lewe uit die dode?"

God Se Plan

Die Nuwe Testament praat van herstel, nie die planne van die bewegings van vandag nie, maar 'n Plan in die konteks wat God het vir die restorasie van Israel waardeur Hy die die Nasies sal seën. Die Hebreeuse woord vir Heidene en Nasies is dieselfde nl.:'Goy'

God gaan die kerk in die laaste dae deur die Jode seën, en al hierdie dinge wat in die Midde Ooste gebeur is een van die tekens en die bewys dat Christus se koms voor die deur is.

Vandag is daar baie valse leraars in die Liggaam van Christus wat baie Christene mislei deur aan hulle te vertel dat hierdie tekens nie waar is nie, wat veroorsaak dat die uitverkorenes onvoorbereid sal wees!

Daar is twee hoof redes waarom die Jode Jesus as hulle Messias verwerp. Een van die ongelukkige redes is die geskiedenis van die Anti Semitiese Christene wat normaalweg deur die Roomse Katolieke, en die Oosterse Ortodokse kerke uitgedra is, maar, met die ongelukkige uitsondering van Martin Luther wie se werke Adolf Hitler geïinspireer het by sy skrywe van "Mein Kampf". Luther het geleer dat die Jode in 'n kraal vasgekeer, en by die punt van 'n mes geforseer moes word om Jesus Christus te bely. Hy sê: "Ons, die Duitse volk, sal die blaam dra as ons nie die Jode uitmoor om te bewys dat ons Christene is nie!!" Die tweede rede waarom die Jode Christus sal verwerp is omdat Jesus nie wêreld vrede gebring het nie en Israel se vyande onderwerp het nie, en die Messiaanse Koninkryk in Jerusalem nie ingestel het nie, en ook nie geregtigheid en vooruitgang en rus en vrede vir die nasies gebring het nie.

As Christus dan die Messias is, waar is die Messiaanse ryk in die karakter van Dawid dan? Die antwoord is in Daniël 9. Die Messias moes kom en sterwe vóór die vernietiging van die Tweede Tempel, en dit was nie die doel van die Messias om al hierdie dinge te bring by Sy eerste koms nie. Die doel van Christus se eerste koms was om te handel met die hoof probleem naamlik: Sonde.

Christus sal met Sy twééde koms wêreld vrede bring! Daniël 9:6 sê vir ons dat die einde met oorstroming, oorloë en vasbeslote verwoesting sal wees. Volgens Judaisme (Die Midrash Bereshith op bladsy 243 van die Warsaw uitgawe, moes die Messias in 33V.C die wêreld verlaat het en dit word ook geondersteun deur die Talmoed Skrifte wat bevestig dat die Messias moes kom en sterwe vóór die verwoesting van die Tweede Tempel.

Ons lees dat die Sanhedrin (Joodse hoogeplaasdes) gehuil het en gesê: "wee ons! Waar is die Messias? Hy moes teen hierdie tyd al gekom het!"

Rabbi Leopold Cohen, 'n baie senior ultra ortodokse rabbi het gepoog om die boodskap van Daniël 9 te verstaan. Hy het twee dinge in die outydse Rabbynse skrifte gevind. Een is dat die Messias alreeds moes gekom het, en tweedens is dat daar 'n vloek rus op almal wat Daniël 9 lees, en so het Rabbi Leopold Cohen die enigste eerbare ding gedoen wat hy kon, hy het 'n Babtiste prediker geword! Dit is relatief maklik om met die onderwerp van Christen Anti Semitisme te deel. Die vraag van 'n Jood is: "Hoe kan jy van my verwag om in die Messias van die Christene to glo as julle Christene my grootouers uitgemoor het??" Om hierdie probleem op te los moet daar vir die Jode van die regte Jesus Christus vertel word??? Jesus die Jood,??Rabbi Yeshua Ben Yosef van Nasaret, en herhinner hulle daaraan dat die Jode ook hulle eie profete in die naam van Moses vermoor het. Hulle het Jeremia in die tronk gegooi, hulle het Jesaja middeldeur gesaag, en Sagaria vermoor! Sal julle Moses verwerp vir wat die Jode in sy naam gedoen het? Sal julle Moses verwerp omrede 'n ortodokse Jood 'n tyd gelede wat met 'n outomatiese wapen in 'n moskee in Hebron ingegaan het en vyftig Moslems vermoor het? Moet Moses veroordeel word vir moorde wat in sy naam gepleeg is? Net so kan Christus ook nie veroordeel word vir wat Christene in Sy Naam gedoen het nie! Ons het Moses en die Torah aanvaar op die basis wat Moses gespreek het. Kan ons Christus aanvaar of verwerp op die basis wat Hy in die Nuwe Testament gedoen en opgeteken het? Die ander onderwerp naamlik; Hoekom het die Messias nie wêreld vrede gebring nie, is 'n ander bespreking. Vir Christus om die Messias te wees, moes Hy die Messiaanse Profesieë van die Ou Testament vervul. Daar is twee tipes Messiaanse Profesieë in die Ou Testament: "Die Lydende Dienskneg" Profesieë (In Jesaja en die Psalms van Dawid) en ook die "Dawid Messias" wat die Ere Koning sal wees wat al die vyande van God sal onderwerp aan Sy Gesag en wat wêreld wye vrede sal bring en sal regeer uit Jerusalem. As Jesus Christus nie die Messias van die Jode is nie, dan is Hy ook nie die Christus van die Kerk nie, want albei is dieselfde.

Christus en Messias is die "Gesalfde Een". Christus het nog nie al die Ou Testamentiese Profesieë vervul nie, Hy het nog net die "seun van Dawid" Profesieë in 'n geestelike wyse vervul, en nie in 'n historiese wyse nie. Vir Christus om die Messias te wees moet Hy al die Profesieë vervul. Die Lydende Messias word genoem: HaMashiach Ben Yosef; Messias, die seun van Josef, en die Ere Koning is HaMashiach Ben Dawid; Messias, die seun van Dawid.

Palm Sondag (Palm Sunday)

Paasfees was een van die drie Joodse feeste waarop hulle 'n lied gesing het by name: Die "Hallel Rabah" (Psalm 113?118) Die klem van hierdie lied is: Hosanna, Hosanna, geseënd is Hy wat kom in die Naam van die HERE, seëninge van die huis van die Here. Ere en dank aan die Here want Hy is goed, want Sy goedertierendheid is verewig, Hosanna. Hosanna. Die Jode is veronderstel om hierdie lied op die paasfees met wuiwende hande te sing, dit was ook bedoel om op die Loofhutte fees gesing te word met wuiwende Palm takke in hulle hande wat in die tipologie ooreenkom met die Joodse kalender van die Millennium. Die Loofhutte fees (Joh.7:2) verwys op die agtergrond na Esegiël 47 wat volgens die Joodse denke vergelyk word met die Dawid Koninkryk, en dit is die rede waarom met Jesus se verheerliking op die berg saam met Moses en Elia, dat Petrus drie Tabernakels wou opgerig het. Petrus het gedink: "Hier is die Messias, laat ons die Koninkryk oprig" Op hierdie Sondag wou die mense iemand gehad het wat die mag van die Romeinse heerskappy sou be?eindig op dieselfde wyse as waarop die Makkabeers die Griekse bewind be?eindig het, en om die Mesiaanse Koninkryk op te rig. Hulle het begin om die Paasfees te vier asof dit die Fees van Tabernakels was. Met Christus se eerste koms het Hy die eerste Drie Feeste (Lente Feeste) in die Joodse kalender vervul: Paasfees; Die Eerste vrugte fees (Wat die opstanding was) en die fees van weke; Pinkster fees. Met Christus se tweede koms sal Hy die laaste drie feeste vervul. (Die herfs of najaars feeste) Die fees van Basuine; Die versoensdag fees en die laaste en finale fees van tabernakels. Die Jode in Christus se tyd wou nie weet van die Lydende Dienskneg Messias wat moes kom as die Paaslam wat geslag moes word nie, hulle wou 'n Koning hê wat in die Duisend jarige vredesryk regeer. Die Lydende Messias, was geken as die "seun van Josef" "HaMashiach Ben Yosef. En die Ere Koning was geken as die seun van Dawid?"HaMashiach Ben Dawid". Vir Jesus van Nasaret, om die Messias te wees, moes Hy ál die profesieë vervul. Maar Jesus het eenvoudig en duidelik nie al hierdie profesieë vervul nie, Hy het net die profesie vervul met betrekking tot die seun van Josef, die Dienskneg. Met ander woorde dit is een Messias met twee verskynings! Eerstens het Hy gekom as die seun van Josef, en as Dienskneg het Hy gely. In die tweede koms sal Hy kom as Christus die seun van Dawid, die Ere Koning wat in die Vredesryk sal regeer.

Valse Leerstellings: Die A/Post­Millennium Denke

Hierdie denke was die breinkind van die Roomse Katolieke kerk wat gevolg het op die dwaling van Konstantyn en Augustinus met die tyd toe die Christendom 'n godsdiens van die staat geword het. Hierdie dwaling is totaal onbybels.

Volgens die oorspronklike Joodse sieninge van die Nuwe Testament, is net 'n voor Millennium standpunt aanvaarbaar. As daar nie 'n Millennium is nie, dan is Christus nie die Messias nie!, en as Christus nie die Messias vir die Jode is nie, dan is Hy ook nie die Christus van die kerk nie. Christus moet al die Ou Testamentiese Profesieë vervul.

Die Herstel Van Die Koninkryk

Wat die Apostels eindelik bedoel het by die vraag: "Here, gaan U in hierdie tyd weer die koninkryk van Israel herstel?" Was: "Ons weet dat U die seun van Josef is, maar wanneer gaan U die seun van Dawid wees?" "Wanneer gaan U die Koninkryk herstel soos wat Dawid gedoen het?" Johannes die Doper kon

hierdie dinge ook nie verstaan nie, en stuur toe twee van sy dissipels om vir Christus te vra: "Is U die een wat sou kom, of moet ons 'n ander een verwag?"(Luk.7:19)

En ook het die Apostels, ná die Opstanding, op die Olyfberg met die Hemelvaart, nie verstaan dat daar Een Messias, maar twee verskynings sal wees nie. M.a.w. Christus sal vir 'n tweede keer na ons toe kom!

Jesus Die Seun Van Josef

Israel het Josef sy geliefde seun meer liefgehad as enige van sy ander seuns (Gen.37:3) En daar kom 'n Stem uit die hemele wat sê: "Dit is My geliefde Seun in wie Ek 'n welbehae het" (Matt.3:17) Die Messias, die seun van Josef was die geliefde Seun van Sy Vader.

Gemeenskap En Diens

Toe sê hy (Jakob) vir hom (Josef): "Gaan tog verneem na die welstand van jou broers en berig terug" So het hy hom dan uit die dal van Hebron weggestuur, en hy het by Sigem aangekom. (Gen 37:14) Josef het in Hebron gewoon wat in Hebreeus beteken "Die plek van gemeenskap of broederskap. Josef het saam met sy vader in 'n plek van gemeenskap gewoon en is deur sy vader gestuur om na die welstand van sy broers te verneem. "Want hierdie gesindheid moet in julle wees wat ook in Christus Jesus was. Hy, wat in die gestalte van God was, het dit geen roof geag om aan God gelyk te wees nie, maar het Homself ontledig deur die gestalte van'n dienskneg aan te neem en aan die mense gelyk te word"(Filp.2:5?7)

"Want so lief het God die wêreld gehad, dat Hy Sy eniggebore Seun gegee het, sodat elkeen wat in Hom glo, nie verlore mag gaan nie, maar die ewige lewe kan hê" (Joh.3:16) Jesus het saam met Sy Vader in 'n plek van gemeenskap gewoon en is deur Sy Vader gestuur om na die welstand van Sy broers te verneem.

Josef se broers het gesondig en Josef bring hierdie slegte tyding aan sy vader. (Gen 37:2) Hierdie gurug van Josef aan sy vader veroorsaak dat sy broers hom haat.

"As die wêreld julle haat, moet julle weet dat hy My voor julle gehaat het. As julle van die wêreld was, sou die wêreld sy eiendom liefhê. Maar omdat julle nie van die wêreld is nie, maar Ek julle van die wêreld uitverkies het, daarom haat die wêreld julle"(Joh.15:18?19).

Jesus getuig van die sondes van Sy broers, en hulle het Hom gehaat. En hulle het Hom al hoe meer gehaat.?En Josef het 'n droom gehad en toe hy dit aan sy broers vertel het hulle hom meer gehaat (Gen 37:5) Josef openbaar aan sy broers hoedat hy 'n verhoogde status sal ontvang. Hulle het hom alreeds gehaat omrede hy hulle sondes geopenbaar het, maar nou het hulle hom verag. "En dan sal die teken van die Seun van die mens aan die hemel verskyn, en dan sal die stamme van die aarde rou bedryf en die Seun van die mens sien kom op die wolke van die hemel met groot krag en heerlikheid" (Matt.24:30) "Toe probeer die owerpriesters en skrifgeleerdes in daardie selfde uur om die hande aan Hom te slaan, want hulle het geweet dat Hy hierdie gelykenis met die oog op hulleself uitgespreek het"(Luk.20:19)

Jesus openbaar aan Sy broers die status van glorie wat Hy sal ontvang, en Sy broers het Hom gehaat. Josef wat aan sy broers vertel het dat hy sal regeer, vertel aan sy broers: "Kyk, ons was besig om gerwe te bind op die land toe meteens my gerf gaan staan en ook regop bly staan, terwyl julle gerwe daar

rondom kom en hulle voor my gerf neerbuig" (Gen.37:7) "Van nou af sal u die Seun van die mens sien sit aan die regterhand van die krag van God en kom op die wolke van die hemel" (Matt.26:64) Josef sê dat hy eendag sal regeer, en Jesus vertel dat Hy eendag sal regeer.

Verwerp En Veroordeel

En hulle het hom van veraf gesien. Maar voordat hy naby hulle kom, het hulle listig raad gehou teen hom om hom dood te maak" (Gen.37:18) "??Ons wil nie hê dat hierdie man die koning oor ons moet wees nie"(Luk.19:14)

Die A?Millennium denke leer dat Christus nie op die aarde sal regeer nie.

Die Pre?Millennium denke leer dat Christus se duisend jaar regering sal begin wanneer Hy terugkeer.

Die Post?Millennium denke leer dat Christus se tweede koms eers na die Millennium sal wees. "Maar hulle het aangehou roep en gesê: Kruisig, kruisig Hom!" (Luk.23:21) Josef en Jesus was alby verwerp en veroordeel om te sterf.

"En hulle het vir mekaar gesê: Daar kom daardie dromer aan!" (Gen.37:19) "Toe sy mense dit hoor, gaan hulle uit om Hom in die hande te kry; want hulle het gesê: Hy is buite sy sinne" (Mark.2:21). Josef was deur sy broers beskuldig dat hy 'n dromer is, en hulle sê van Christus, die Messias, die seun van Josef, dat Hy buite sy sinne is.

"Toe sê Juda vir sy broers: Watter voordeel is dit dat ons ons broer doodmaak en sy bloed verberg? Kom, dat ons hom aan die Ismaeliete verkoop, maar laat ons hand nie teen hom wees nie, want hy is ons broer, ons vlees. En sy broers het na hom geluister. En toe die Medianitiese koopmans verby kom, het hulle Josef uit die put uit opgetrek en uitgehaal en Josef aan die Ismaeliete verkoop vir twintig sikkels silwer" (Gen.37:26?28) Juda verraai Josef en verkoop hom vir twintig silwerstukke. "Toe gaan een van die twaalf, met die naam van Judas Iskariot, na die owerpriesters en sê: Wat wil u vir my gee, en ek sal Hom aan u oorlewer? En hulle het vir hom dertig silwerstukke afgeweeg" (Matt.26:14?15)

(Juda en Judas is dieselfde in Hebreeus) Juda verloën Josef vir twintig stukke silwer, en Judas verloën Jesus vir dertig stukke silwer na inflasie.

En so het Josef guns in sy oë gevind en hom gedien; en hy het hom aangestel oor sy huis, en alles wat in sy besit was, aan hom oorgegee" (Gen.39:4) Alles wat Josef gedoen het, het hy gedoen as 'n dienskneg, en alles wat Koning Jesus gedoen het, het Hy gedoen as 'n dienskneg. (Luk.22:25?27/Filp.2:7)

"En vandat hy hom aangestel het oor sy huis en oor alles wat in sy besit was, het die HERE die huis van die Egiptenaar geseën terwille van Josef??"(Gen.39:5) ???"Hy sal die dae verleng, en die welbehae van die HERE sal deur sy hand voorspoedig wees" (Jes.53:10) Die HERE sal alles seën wat die seun van Josef doen.

Versoeking

Ná hierdie dinge het die vrou van sy heer haar oë na Josef opgeslaan en gesê: Kom hou gemeenskap met my. Maar hy het geweier en aan die vrou gesê: Kyk, deur my is dit dat my heer geen kennis neem van

www.Moriel.org

wat in die huis is nie; en alles wat syne is, het hy aan my oorgegee. Hy is in die huis nie groter as ek nie en het my niks onthou nie behalwe u, omdat u sy vrou is; Hoe kan ek dan hierdie groot kwaad doen en sondig teen God?" (Gen.39:7?9) Josef was tot die uiterste toe versoek, maar het vas gestaan en nie gesondig nie. "Toe is Jesus deur die Gees weggelei die woestyn in om versoek te word deur die duiwel???

?Toe sê Jesus vir hom: Gaan weg, Satan! Want daar is geskrywe: Die Here jou God moet jy aanbid en Hom alleen dien" (Matt.4:1?11) Die Messias, die seun van Josef, was versoek tot die uiterste toe, maar Hy het dit weerstaan.

Valse Beskuldigings

"Toe sy dan sien dat hy sy kleed in haar hand laat bly en buitentoe gevlug het, roep sy na huisgenote en sê aan hulle: Kyk, hy het vir ons 'n Hebreeuse man hier gebring om met ons gek te skeer; hy het na my gekom om met my gemeenskap te hê, en ek het hard geskreeu; en toe hy hoor dat ek my stem verhef en skreeu, het hy sy kleed met my laat agterbly en gevlug en na buite geloop" (Gen.39:13?15) Josef was hier valslik beskuldig) "En die owerpriesters en die ouderlinge en die hele Raad het valse getuies teen Jesus gesoek om Hom dood te maak, en niks gevind nie. En alhoewel daar baie valse getuies gekom het, het hulle niks gevind nie. Maar oplaas kom daar twee valse getuies en sê: Hierdie man het gesê: Ek kan die tempel van God afbreek en dit in drie dae opbou. Daarop staan die owerpriester op en sê vir Hom: Antwoord U niks nie? Wat getuig hierdie manne teen U? Maar Jesus het stil gebly. En die hoëpriester antwoord en sê vir Hom: Ek besweer U by die lewende God dat U vir ons sê of U die Christus, die Seun van God is? Jesus antwoord hom: U het dit gesê. Maar Ek sê vir u almal: Van nou af sal u die Seun van die mens sien sit aan die regterhand van die krag van God en kom op die wolke van die hemel. Toe verskeur die hoëpriester sy klere en sê: Hy het godslasterlik gespreek???"(Matt.26:59?65) Die Messias, die seun van Josef, was ook valslik beskuldig.

Lewe En Dood Geprofeteer

"Toe sê Josef vir hom (Die skinker) : Dit is die uitlegging daarvan: die drie ranke is drie dae. Binne drie dae sal Farao jou hoof verhef?jou in jou rang herstel; en jy sal die beker van Farao in sy hand gee net soos vroeër toe jy sy skinker was. Toe antwoord Josef die bakker: Dit is die uitlegging daarvan?die drie mandjies is drie dae. Binne drie dae sal Farao jou hoof bo?oor jou verhef?hy sal jou aan 'n paal ophang en die voëls sal jou vlees van jou afpik" (Gen.40)

Josef profeteer dat een van die kriminele sal lewe en dat een sal sterwe.

"En een van die kwaaddoeners wat opgehang is, het Hom gesmaad en gesê: As U die Christus is, verlos Uself en ons. Maar die ander een antwoord en bestraf hom en sê: Vrees jy ook nie God nie, terwyl jy in dieselfde oordeel is??Ons tog regverdiglik, want ons tog ontvang die verdiende loon vir ons dade, maar Hy het niks verkeerd gedoen nie. En hy sê vir Jesus: Dink aan my, Here, wanneer U in die koninkryk kom. En Jesus antwoord hom: Voorwaar Ek sê vir jou, vandag sal jy saam met My in die Paradys wees" (Luk.23:39?43) Koning Jesus was veroordeel saam met twee kriminele en, soos wat Hy gesê het, het een gelewe en een het gesterwe. Net soos Josef redding belowe het aan die skinker, die veroordeelde man.

Josef was verraai deur sy Joodse broeders in die hande van die Heidene, maar God neem hierdie verraad en draai dit om en maak dit die weg vir Israel en die hele wêreld tot redding, en net so was ons Messias,

die seun van Josef, verraai deur Sy Joodse broers en in die hande van die Heidene oorgegee. En net so het God hierdie gebeure omgedraai en het Christus die Weg tot verlossing geword vir Israel en die hele wêreld.

Vergeet Deur Die Wat Hy Gehelp Het

"En die voorman van die skinkers het nie aan Josef gedink nie, maar hom vergeet"(Gen.40:23) "Toe antwoord Jesus en sê: Het tien nie rein geword nie? En waar is die nege? Was daar niemand onder julle te vinde wat omgedraai het om God te verheerlik behalwe hierdie vreemdeling nie?" (Luk.17:17?18) Josef was vergeet deur die wat hy gehelp het, en die seun van Josef, Koning Jesus was ook vergeet deur die wat Hy gehelp het!

Opgehef Tot Glorie

"Toe laat Farao Josef roep, en hulle het hom gou uit die gevangenis uitgehaal, en hom geskeer en ander klere aangetrek; en hy het by Farao gekom. Toe sê Farao vir Josef: Aangesien God dit alles aan jou bekend gemaak het, is daar niemand verstandig en wys soos jy nie. Jy moet oor my huis wees, en na jou bevel moet my hele volk hulle skik; alleen deur die troon sal ek groter as jy wees" (Gen.41:14,39?40) Josef was uit 'n kerker, 'n plek van dood, uitgehaal en was deur die koning verhef tot 'n posisie van glorie in een dag.

"Gebed vir verligte oë van julle verstand, sodat julle kan weet wat die hoop van sy roeping en wat die rykdom van die heerlikheid van sy erfdeel onder die heiliges is; en wat die uitnemende grootheid van sy krag is vir ons wat glo, na die werking van die krag van sy sterkte wat Hy gewerk het in Christus toe Hy Hom uit die dode opgewek het en Hom laat sit het aan sy regterhand in die hemele bo alle owerheid en mag en krag en heerskappy en elke naam wat genoem word, nie alleen in hierdie wêreld nie, maar ook in die toekomstige" (Eff.1:18?21)

Koning Jesus, die seun van Josef, was verhoog van 'n plek van veroordeling en dood, na 'n plek van heerlikheid in een dag.

Wonderbare Raadsman

"En Farao sê vir Josef: Aangesien God dit alles aan jou bekend gemaak het, is daar niemand verstandig en wys soos jy nie"(Gen.41:39) Josef het getoon dat hy 'n groot raadsman sal wees. In Jes.9:5 lees ons: "Hy word genoem: Wonderbaar, Raadsman" En Farao sê vir Josef: "Kyk, ek stel jou aan oor die hele Egipteland" (Gen.41:41) Josef word met heerlikheid en eer verhoog, en hy ontvang 'n nuwe naam. "Daarom het God Hom ook uitermate verhoog en Hom 'n naam gegee wat bo elke naam is" (Filp.2:9) Koning Jesus is verhoog en verheerlik en ontvang ook 'n nuwe Naam.

Heidense Bruid

"En Farao het Josef genoem Safénat?Panéag en aan hom Asenat, die dogter van Potifera, die priester van On, as vrou gegee. En Josef het uitgetrek oor Egipteland" Gen.41:45) Nadat Josef verhoog is, neem Josef 'n heidense bruid.

"Want die man is die hoof van die vrou, soos Christus ook Hoof is van die gemeente; en Hy is die Verlosser van die liggaam" (Eff.5:23) Koning Jesus, na Sy verheerliking, neem 'n Heidense bruid, die beeld van die Heidense kerk. Dit is hoekom die Boek Rut, die storie van 'n Joodse man en 'n Heidense bruid, op die Pinkster feeste in die Sinagoges gelees word. Wat genoem word: "Die geboorte van die Kerk", en in albei gevalle is die bruide gegee om te deel in die heerlikheid. ONGEVEER DERTIG JAAR OUD.

"En Josef was dertig jaar oud toe hy voor Farao, die koning van Egipte, gestaan het" (Gen.41:46) "En Hy, Jesus, was omtrent dertig jaar oud toe Hy begin leer het" (Luk.3:23) Die seun van Josef was dertig jaar oud toe Hy met Sy werk begin het.

Net Way Hy Vir Julle Se Moet Julle Doen

"En toe die hele Egipteland honger gely en die volk na Farao geroep het om brood, sê Farao aan al die Egiptenaars: Gaan na Josef, doen wat hy julle sê" (Gen.41:55) "Sy (Jesus se) moeder sê vir die dienaars: Net wat Hy vir julle sê, moet julle doen"(Joh.2:5)

Elke Knie Sal Buig

"Toe trek Farao sy seëlring van sy hand af en sit dit aan die hand van Josef; en hy het hom fyn linneklere laat aantrek en 'n goue ketting om sy hals gehang en hom laar ry op sy tweede rytuig; en hulle het voor hom uitgeroep: Pasop! So het hy hom dan oor die hele Egipteland aangestel. En Farao sê vir Josef: Ek is Farao, maar sonder jou mag niemand sy hand of voet in die hele Egipteland verroer nie" (Gen.41:42?44) Toe Josef verhoog is het elke knie voor hom gebuig en het hy al die eer en heerlikheid ontvang.

"Daarom het God hom ook uitermate verhoog en Hom 'n Naam gegee wat bo elke naam is, sodat in die Naam van Jesus elke knie sou buig van die wat in die hemel en die wat op die aarde en die wat onder die aarde is, en elke tong sou bely dat Jesus Christus die Here is tot Heerlikheid van God die Vader" (Filp.2:9?

11) "En Jesus het nader gekom en met hulle gespreek en gesê: Aan My is gegee alle mag in die hemel en op die aarde" (Matt.28:18)

Die Brood Van Die Lewe

" En toe die hele Egipte land honger gely en die volk na Farao geroep het om brood, sê Farao aan al die Egiptenaars: Gaan na Josef, doen wat hy aan julle sê. En die hongersnood was oor die hele oppervlakte van die aarde, en Josef het alles waarin iets was, oopgemaak en aan die Egiptenaars verkoop, en die hongersnood was swaar in Egipteland" (Gen. 41:55?57)

"En Jesus sê vir hulle: Ek is die brood van die lewe; wie na My toe kom, sal nooit honger kry nie: en wie in My glo, sal nooit dors kry nie." Joh.6:35) En die saligheid is in niemand anders nie, want daar is ook geen ander naam onder die hemel wat onder die mense gegee is, waardeur ons gered moet word nie. (Hand.4:12) Die hele wêreld moes hulle brood van Josef ontvang?en daar was geen ander manier waardeur die mense gered kon word nie!, en daar is ook geen ander manier waardeur ons gered kan word nie behalwe deur die Seun van Josef.

Christus Het Homself Aan Geen Mens Toevertrou Nie

"En hulle het gaan sit volgens sy bepalings, die eersgeborene na sy eersgeboorte en die jongste na sy jonkheid. Toe kyk die manne hom verbaas aan. Hoekom? Omdat Josef sy broers se sondige verlede geken het. "Maar Jesus self het Hom aan hulle nie toevertrou nie, omdat Hy almal geken het en omdat Hy nie nodig gehad het dat iemand van die mens sou getuig nie; want Hy self het geweet wat in die mens is"(Joh.2:24?25) Jesus die Messias is net soos Josef, hy het die lewens geskiedenis van sy broers geken.

Soos wat ons gelees het in Genesis, herken Josef se broers hom nie by die eerste koms nie.

Hulle Herken Hom Die Tweede Keer

Josef kon homself nie beheer voor al die mense wat by hom gestaan het nie, en hy roep uit en stuur hulle weg. Hy was so hartseer dat die Egiptenare en die bediendes van Foarao hom hoor huil het, toe sê Josef vir sy broers: "Ek is Josef! Lewe my vader nog!" Maar sy broers kon hom nie antwoord nie want hulle was totaal verskrik in sy teenwoordigheid. Toe sê Josef vir sy broers: "Kom tog nader na my, en toe hulle nader kom sê hy: Ek is julle broer Josef vir wie julle na Egipte verkoop het." (Gen.45:1?4) Josef se broers het hom nie by die eerste koms herken nie, maar by die tweede koms. "Maar oor die huis van Dawid en oor die inwoners van Jerusalem sal Ek uitgiet die Gees van genade en smekinge; en hulle sal opsien na My vir wie hulle deurboor het, en hulle sal oor Hom rouklaag soos 'n mens rouklaag oor 'n enigste seun en bitterlik oor Hom ween soos 'n mens bitterlik ween oor 'n eersgebore kind" (Sag.12:10)

Die broers van die Messias, die seun van Josef, het Hom nie by Sy eerste koms herken nie, maar hulle sal by Koning Jesus se tweede koms tot die besef kom dat hulle die Een teen wie hulle al die onreg gepleeg het, Hy die Een gaan wees wat tot hulle redding sal kom. Die Een wat gekruisig was, is die Een wat die Verlosser is, die Koning van die konings. Die seun van Josef is ook die seun van Dawid. Die Lydende Dienskneg is ook die Koning wat gaan heers.

Toe Josef se broers hulle sonde voor hom bely het hy hulle vergewe, en wanneer Jesus se broers, die Joodse volk belydenis doen, sal Hy hulle vergewe. In die begin het Josef die mense van Egipte, die Heidene, gebruik om brood vir sy broers te gee, maar 'n tyd het gekom toe die Heidene wegestuur was en hy hom aan sy broers bekend gemaak het. Op die huidige oomblik gebruik die seun van Josef die Heidene, die Christene, om brood aan Sy broers te stuur, die Brood van die Lewe, maar daar gaan 'n tyd kom in die groot verdrukking wanneer die seun van Josef Homself Persoonlik, aan Sy broers gaan openbaar

Al Die Mag En Gesag Aan Die Koning

Ons lees dat Josef met al die mag wat hy ontvang het alles oorgegee het in die hande van Farao. (Gen.47:20) "Daarna kom die einde, wanneer Hy die koninkryk aan God die Vader oorgee, as Hy alle heerskappy en alle gesag en mag vernietig het" (1Kor.15:24)

Die Redder

"En hulle antwoord: U het ons lewe gered. Laat ons guns mag vind in die oë van my heer, dan sal ons die dienaars van Farao wees" Gen.47:25) Josef was geken as die redder van die mense.

"Want die reddende genade van God het aan alle mense verskyn en leer ons om die goddeloosheid en die wêreldse begeerlikhede te verloën, ingetoë en regverdig en vroom in die teenwoordige wêreld te lewe, terwyl ons die salige hoop en die verskyning van die heerlikheid verwag van die grote God en ons Verlosser, Christus Jesus, wat Homself vir ons gegee het om ons te verlos van alle ongeregtigheid en vir Homself 'n volk as 'n eiendom te reinig, ywerig in goeie werke" (Titus 1:11?14) Die Messias, die seun van Josef, die Here Jesus Christus, word verheerlik en herken as die Redder van die hele mensdom.

Nie Geherken Nie

Toe Josef vereer was met al die linne klere en juwele van Farao (Gen.41:42) het hy totaal onherkenbaar geword vir sy Hebreeuse broers (Gen.42:8)

Een Messias: Twee Verskynings

Josef ontvang 'n nuwe naam by sy verhoging. (Gen.41:45) Die Heidene gee vir Rabbi Ben Yosef 'n nuwe Naam???Jesus???"n Griekse" Naam, nie Christus se oorspronklike Naam nie.

Diegene wat op Koning Jesus vertrou, Hom wie ons almal deurboor het, en nou ween oor die Enigste Seun, die Seun van God, sal dieselfde seëninge ontvang soos wat Christus se eie broers sal ontvang. Die Messias, die Seun van God (Die seun van Josef) sal terugkeer as die Messias, die seun van Dawid, en Hy sal die koninkryk van Israel herstel.

Amen, Amen. †††


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