Yoma: Die Dag Van Versoening

March 31, 2025

Luk. 4:14-30: “En Jesus het in die krag van die Gees na Galiléa teruggekeer, en daar het 'n gerug aangaande Hom deur die hele omtrek uitgegaan; en Hy het in hulle sinagoges geleer en is deur almal geprys.  


[Hy was ‘n rondreisende rabbi]. Toe kom Hy in Násaret waar Hy opgevoed was; en soos Hy gewoond was, gaan Hy op die sabbatdag in die sinagoge en staan op om te lees. En die boek van die profeet Jesaja is aan Hom oorhandig; en toe Hy die boek oopmaak, kry Hy die plek waar geskrywe is:[Hy lees uit Jesaja 61, eintlik was dit ‘n boekrol, ‘n ‘megillah,” nie ‘n kodeks of ‘n boek nie.] Die Gees van die Here is op My, omdat Hy My gesalf het om die evangelie aan die armes te bring. Hy het My gestuur om die wat verbryseld van hart is, te genees; om aan gevangenes vrylating te verkondig en aan blindes herstel van gesig; om die wat gebroke is, in vryheid weg te stuur; om die aangename jaar van die Here aan te kondig. En nadat Hy die boek toegemaak [Hy het die rol opgerol]en aan die dienaar teruggegee het, gaan Hy sit, en die oë van almal in die sinagoge was op Hom gevestig.


Toe begin Hy vir hulle te sê: Vandag is hierdie Skrif in julle ore vervul. En almal het vir Hom getuienis gegee en was verwonderd oor die aangename woorde wat uit sy mond kom; en hulle sê: Is Hy nie die seun van Josef nie? En Hy antwoord hulle: Julle sal My ongetwyfeld hierdie spreekwoord toevoeg: Geneesheer, genees uself!


Alles wat ons hoor wat in Kapérnaüm gebeur het, doen dit hier in u vaderstad ook.


En Hy sê: Voorwaar Ek sê vir julle, geen profeet is aangenaam in sy vaderland nie. Maar Ek sê vir julle met waarheid, daar was baie weduwees in Israel in die dae van Elía toe die hemel toegesluit was drie jaar en ses maande lank, toe daar 'n groot hongersnood gekom het in die hele land, en na nie een van hulle is Elía gestuur nie, behalwe na Sarfat [Wat te doen het met reiniging deur vuur- in Hebreeus]in Sidon, na 'n weduwee. En daar was baie melaatses in Israel in die tyd van Elísa, die profeet, en nie een van hulle is gereinig nie, behalwe Naäman, die Síriër.


En almal in die sinagoge is met woede vervul toe hulle dit hoor; en hulle het opgestaan en Hom uit die stad uitgedryf en Hom gebring tot op die rand van die berg waarop hulle stad gebou was, om Hom van die krans af te gooi. Maar Hy het tussen hulle deur geloop en weggegaan.”


Jesus kom in die sinagoge en Hy sien sekere dinge wat na Hom verwys soos na Hom as die Seun van Josef en op ander plekke waar Hy geken word as die “Seun van Dawid” en hier in die dorp waarin Hy groot geword het, word Hy geken as die Seun van Josef. Nou, baie van julle ken Jesus as “HaMashiach ben Yosef,” en HaMashiach ben David,” “Messias die Seun van Josef en Messias die Seun van Dawid.”


Ons moet onthou dat Josef deur die Heidene aanvaar was terwyl sy Joodse broeders hom verwerp het.


Hy was in sy eie land deur sy Joodse broers verwerp maar deur die heidene aanvaar.


So, dit is hier waar hulle Jesus begin ken het as die “Seun van Josef” waar Hy twee verhale vertel het oor Elia en Elisa wat deur die Heidene aanvaar is maar wat deur die Hebreërse mense verwerp was. Jesus vergelyk Homself met hulle en die mense raak ongemaklik, maar Sy woorde was aangenaam, maar nadat Hy hulle die waarheid oor Hom vertel het was Sy woorde nie meer so aangenaam nie. Toe hulle eers uitgevind het waar Hy regtig vandaan kom was hulle verontwaardig en woedend. Vandag is dit dieselfde. Jy kan ‘n goeie Evangeliese boodskap bring of ‘n goeie lering bedien maar wanneer jy begin praat oor die verkeerde dinge in die kerk of wat verkeerd is met hulle, dan gaan hierdie selfde mense baie vinnig teen jou draai soos teen ‘n rot met hondsdolheid. Nou wat hier in Nasaret gebeur het was ‘n voorbeeld van wat met Hom in Jerusalem gaan gebeur na die triomferende inkoms. Jesus vergelyk Homself met Elia en Elisa en wat met hulle gebeur het. Die drie en ‘n halwe jaar wat genoem word, drie jaar en 6 maande, plaas die gebeure in ‘n eskatologiese raamwerk.


    Dit sê vir ons dat wat ookal hier op ‘n manier gebeur het- te doen het met die eindtyd,- die tyd, en tye en ‘n halwe tyd in Daniël en in Openbaring. Dit het te doen met die drie en halwe jaar aan die einde van die eeu, en ook die drie en ‘n halwe jaar eskatologies. Jesus se openbare bediening was drie en halwe jaar en Satan wil die selfde tyd hê wat hy gaan kry deur die Antichris. Die Antichris gaan probeer om die Wet en die tye te verander en dit sal in sy hand gegee word vir ‘n tyd- tye en ‘n halwe tyd.


Nou, daar is meer aan dit verbonde. Wanneer daar gepraat word van hierdie drie en halwe jaar in ‘n gegewe perikoop en in ‘n gegewe verhaal, dan het dit iets te doen met ‘n toekomstige eskatologiese toepassing. Dit gaan nie net oor wat gister gebeur het nie. Maar dan sal ons moet deel met hierdie vraag, hoekom het Jesus die boekrol op hierdie punt opgerol, of die Boek toegemaak. Kyk na die Boek Jesaja hoofstuk 61, die gedeelte waaruit Jesus gelees het:


Jes. 61 1: “Die Gees van die Here HERE is op My, omdat die HERE My gesalf het[Die woord wat hier vir “salf” gebruik word is waar die woord Mashiach, messiah vandaan kom.]- om 'n blye boodskap[Hierdie woord is basardie woord vir evangelie in Hebreeus, in Grieks in die Septuagent is dit- euaggelion] te bring aan die ootmoediges; Hy het My gestuur om te verbind die gebrokenes van hart, om vir die gevangenes 'n vrylating uit te roep en vir die geboeides opening van die gevangenis;...”


Toe Jesus die gedeelte in die sinagoge in Nasaret gelees het- het Hy net die eerste helfte van vers twee verse gelees.   “--om uit te roep 'n jaar van die welbehae van die HERE.” Hy lees nie die res van die vers nie-  “‘n dag van die wraak van onse God; en Hy rol die Boekrol toe, of maak die Boek toe. Hy gaan net die eerste helfte van die profesie met Sy eerste koms as die “seun van Josef” vervul, die een wat redding bring. Hy sal die tweede gedeelte van die Skrif vervul met Sy wederkoms: “DieDag van die Wraak van onse God;” Met Sy eerste kom het Hy gekom in genade en in Waarheid en om genade te betoon.


Met Sy tweede koms kom Hy met die oordeel van God, die wraak van God. Maar daar is ander voorlopers vir hierdie dinge. Kyk na die Boek van Sagaria 12:10:“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.”


Kyk na die Evangelie van Johannes, die verhaal van die Geboorte 19:37:“En weer sê 'n ander Skrif: Hulle sal sien in wie hulle gesteek het”Letop net die eerste helfte van Skrif word aangehaal. Hoekom staan daar nie: “En hulle sal oor Hom rouklaag soos een wat treur oor ‘n enige gebore Seun?” Jesus vervul dit met Sy tweede koms. Kyk na Openbaring 1, dit sê vir ons direk:


Op 1:7: “Kyk, Hy kom met die wolke, en elke oog sal Hom sien, ook hulle wat Hom deursteek het; en al die geslagte van die aarde sal oor Hom rou bedryf; ja, amen!”


Hulle sal opkyk na Hom wat hulle deursteek het en oor Hom rou bedryf- met Sy tweede koms en nie met Sy eerste koms nie; hulle skree “Kruisig Hom.!” En die vers word in twee gedeel. Dit is hoe ons die Boek Daniël verklaar maar dit is net ‘n voorsmakie vir later.


Hulle neem Hom na Nasaret. Iets om te verstaan van Nasaret as jy nog nie daar was nie, as jy op beweeg van Nasaret af dan kry jy “illit” waar die oorspronklike Nasaret was. Nasaret is ‘n harde plek, dit is grootliks ‘n Arabiese gemeenskap. “Illit” is ‘n Joodse gemeenskap waar die rant van die gebergte is en jy sien dat dit direk die teenoorgestelde is van die noorde kant van die vallei van Armageddon, die vlakte van Jisreel teenoor Megiddo. Aan die suide kant is daar ‘n berg wat geken word as Migiddo, “Har Megiddo,”


    Armageddon is egter nie ‘n berg nie. Die vallei word Jisreel noem. Aan die noorde kant, teenoor Megiddo is ‘n ander berg, Har Tabor- die berg Tabor waar die lied van Deborah plaasgevind het. Kyk na Rigters 5. In die Lied van Debora sien ons iets wat herhaal word in die Septuagint teks, die Griekse Ou Testament in die Magnificat, die loflied van Maria, en in die Lied van Deborah-  Geseënd is u onder die vroue, u sal deur almal as geseënd genoem word.


Nou, Nasaret is waar Maria, Miriam as ‘n jong dogter gewoon het. Sy sou vanaf Nasaret na die berg Tabor oor gekyk het wat sy geken het en sy sou geweet het dat dit die plek was waar die verhaal van Debora afgespeel het. Dit is waar die verhaal van Jael ook plaasgevind het, waar die eer en die roem aan Sisera gegaan het, ons lees in Rigters 5:7: “--totdat ek, Debóra, opgestaan het, ek, 'n moeder in Israel, ” En dit gaan verder en ons lees van ‘n esel wat op gery word in vers 10, en hier word verskillende tale gebruik om geseënd te beskryf, “Geseënd is jy onder die vroue, hulle sal jou as geseënd noem.” Rigters 5:24: “Mag bo die vroue geseënd wees Jael,...”  Min het Maria van Nasaret geweet dat die engel Gabriel eendag na haar toe sal kom met die woorde: “Geseënd is jy onder die vroue.”


Sy het in die skadu van die Berg Tabor opgegroei wat uitkyk oor Nasaret Illit. “Geseënd is jy onder die vroue.” Dit is waar dit gesê was, maar eendag sou dit ook vir haar gesê word, presies op dieselfde plek, dit is Nasaret. Aan die Ooste kant van Nasaret, en loodreg van die Vallei van Jisreel is ‘n styl berg hang en jy sal nie daarvan hou om daar af te gaan nie; daar is verskeie klowe en plato rante met styltes van meer as 45 grade.


Hoekom wou hulle Jesus van die afgrond afgooi? Hoekom wou hulle hom op hierdie manier probeer doodmaak? Hoekom wou hulle Hom nie stenig nie, hoekom wou hulle Hom spesifiek van die krans afgooi om Hom dood te maak? Maar belangrik, hulle kon Hom nie doodmaak nie. Hoekom was Hy beskerm?


Heel duidelik was dit nog nie Sy tyd om vir ons sonde te sterf nie? Kom ons kyk na Levitikus 16.


Die Dag van Versoening, Yom Kippur


Dit kom ooreen met die Hebreeuse woord “kapporah.” Kapporah beteken ‘n offer afgelei van die Hebreeuse woord “lehakreem”—dat die mens een met God sal wees. Die eenheid wat deur sonde verlore gegaan het sal herstel word wanneer die Messias kom. Onder die Wet sal die sonde van die Joodse mense vergewe word as hulle ‘n ware geloof en ‘n ware sonde belydenis gedoen het, die bloed van die Yom Kippur sondebok sal kappurahbring, dit sou hulle sonde tydelik bedek totdat die Messias kom en dit weg neem.


Dit is soos met ‘n tydelike bestuurs lissensie totdad jy die waardige lissensie kry. Dit bring kapporah, dit was ‘n tydelike bedekking. Die Ou Testamentiese heiliges kon nie hemel toe gaan totdat die Messias gekom het nie. Hulle het na Abraham se boesem toe gegaan waar hulle gewag totdat die Messias kom. Die Ou Testamentiese heiliges kon net deur die Bloed van Jesus gered word, dieselfde met ons. Daar is geen ander naam in die hemel waaronder ons gered kan word nie soos wat Hebreërs vir ons sê, die bloed van diere kan nie ons sonde afwas nie, hulle kon net kapporahmaak..


Dit was simbole van wat die Messias sou doen. Ons almal weet van die bloed van die Lam, maar met Yom Kippur is daar ook die bloed van die sondebok. Dit alles is die bloed van Jesus, maar die bloed van hierdie diere was op verskillende maniere werksaam. Al die diere offers in die Tempel, die bloed, is alles beelde van die bloed van Christus in verskillende aspekte, die bloed van die lam, die lam sonder gebreke, die onskuldige sou vir die skuldige sterf. Een mens sonder sonde is beter as al die mense met sonde, so kon een vir almal sterf; dit is die bloed van die lam. Dan is daar die bloed van die bulle, die sterke sou vir die swakke sterf, net soos wat die onskuldige vir die skuldige sou sterf. Die voëls, hulle moes die voels onder lopende water offer.


Dit is beeld van wassing met die bloed. Al hierdie dinge gee vir ons verskillende aspekte van die bloed van Jesus, maar die bloed van die bok het sy eie unieke gedeeltes. Wat is dit?


    Wel een van die dinge is, in Grieks kry ons twee woorde vir sonde:  “Hamartia” en “hamartano.” Hulle is amper dieselfde maar in Hebreeus is hierdie woorde, Heten pesha,heel verskillend.Hetbeteken om die doel te mis, om ‘n pyl te skiet wat die teiken mis. Peshabeteken om te vêr te gaan. Pesha is oortreding; Hetis om te faal. Pesha is die sonde wat te doen het met ‘n opdrag; Hetis die sonde van nalaat, om te versuim.


Ons sondig beide deurom dinge te doen wat ons nie moet doen nie, maar ons sondig ook om nie dinge te doen wat ons moet doen nie. Dink aan Koning Saul, sy eerste sonde was hy het dinge gedoen wat hy nie moes doen nie; hy het ‘n moordenaar van die Hoë Priester, Abithar geword, hy het betrokke geraak in die oproep van dooies en towery, die okkulte. Hy het probeer om Dawid dood te maak. Hy het begin om dinge te doen wat hy nie moes doen nie. Sy eerste sonde was hy het gefaal om dinge te doen wat hy moes doen, hy moes ontslae geraak het van Amalek, hy het van die buit vir homself gehou wat hy moes verbrand het; dit was vir ‘n heidense god gegee.


Wanneer iemand terugval, wegval van God af, dan gaan dit nie soseer oor iets wat ons doen nie maar oor iets wat ons doen wat ons nie moet doen nie, dit kom later. Dit begin gewoonlik oor wat ons doen en wat ons nie moet doen nie. Wanneer iemand se gebedslewe, Bybel lees, gemeenskap met ander gelowiges, getuienis- begin stil raak, wanneer ons ophou om die dinge te doen wat ons moet doen, dan is dit net ‘n kwessie van tyd vir ons ou natuur om oor te vat en vir ons om dinge te begin doen wat ons nie moet doen nie.


Die bloed van die lam het hoofsaaklik te doen met pesha terwyl die bloed van die bok meer te doen het met het.Die bloed van die lam is meer te doen met die dinge wat ons gedoen het voordat ons tot redding gekom het. Die bloed van die bok het meer te doen met dinge wat ons daarna gedoen het. Die bloed van Christus reinig ons van alle sonde, meer nog, peshahet te doen met bewustelike sonde. Het het te doen met sonde wat in Hebreeus geken word as “barut”- onwetenheid.


Heb. 9:7: “-maar in die tweede die hoëpriester alleen, een maal in die jaar, nie sonder bloed nie, wat hy offer vir homself en vir die sondes van die volk uit onwetendheid begaan ” [afgelei van Hebreeus- barut.]


Dit alles is die bloed van Jesus. Al hierdie diere is beelde van Christus maar Sy bloed is inwerkend op verskillende maniere. Die bloed van Christus reinig ons van alle sonde, die verlede en die hede. Ons moet verstaan dit is medewerkend op verskillende maniere. Dit is medewerkend in dinge wat ons doen wat ons nie moet doen nie, maar dit is ook medewerkend vir die dinge wat ons moes gedoen het maar nie gedoen het nie.


Dit is medewerkend vir die sonde wat ons onwetend doen, maar dit is ook medewerkend vir die dinge wat ons onwetend doen. Christene kan onwetend sondig, soos byvoorbeeld mense sal toelaat dat ongedoopte ongeredde kinders Nagmaal gebruik, dit is totaal verkeerd. Die Nagmaal is vir gedoopte weergebore Christene alleen. Ons sien in Eksodus dat ons ons kinders moet laat sien hoe ons die Nagmaal gebruik sodat hulle die vraag kan vra: “Hoekom doen julle dit?”Deurom kinders nie toe te laat om Nagmaal te bruik nie is ‘n manier om hulle te laat vra oor hulle redding.


Die Tafel van die Here is dalk ‘n beeld van onskuld vir wat dit beteken, nie dat dit die tafel deur ‘n immorele persoon verontreinig word nie, maar omdat dit verkeerd is.  Hierdie kinders weet nie dat dit hulle sondig nie en dit is die ouers se verantwoordelikheid, maar die rigting wat die kerk nou in beweeg is heel waarskynlik onbekend vir die ouers. Maar dit is nogtans sonde en iemand moet betaal vir die sonde. Jesus betaal vir die sonde al is dit onwetend. Elke keer as ‘n Roomse Katoliek bid vir die dode dan is dit die sonde van towery, hulle sien dit nie so nie maar hulle roep geeste van dooies op. Dit is towery.


    Nou, daar is ware gelowiges in die Roomse Katolieke Kerk, maar as hulle waarlik gered is dan sal die Heilige Gees hulle lei om onder hulle uit te kom. Niemand sal sê jy kan nie ‘n Roomse Katoliek en gered wees nie, maar as jy ‘n Katoliek is wat gered is dan kan jy nie in hierdie Kerk bly nie, maar nog steed reinig die bloed ons van alle sonde, al is dit sonde wat onwetend gedoen is.


Elke keer wat ‘n Roomse Katoliek vir die dooies bid of hom uitstrek voor transubstansiële elemente, dan is dit die sonde van afgodery. Dit is ‘n sonde wat deur baie onwetend gedoen word. Ons almal het die bloed van die Lam nodig. “Is jy gewas in die Bloed van die Lam?” Dit is waar, maar wat ook baie waar is, is dat ons ook in die bloed van bok gewas moet word. Die vraag dan, waarom, soos dit is, is daar twee bloed versoening feeste, Paasfees in die Lente en Yom Kippur in die herfs? Hoekom twee?, dit is ‘n belangrike vraag.


Onthou, Jesus vervul die heilige Lente dae met Sy eerste koms, Hy vervul die Herfs heilige dae met Sy tweede koms. Die herfs heilige dae is net gedeeltelik vervul met Sy eerste koms. Hy het Paasfees, Eerste Vrugte vervul toe Hy uit die dood opgestaan het, en Weke, wat Pinkster is, met sy eerste koms en dan is daar die somer wat ooreenstem met die Tye van die Nasies, die tydperk tussen die 69ste en 70ste week van Daniël.


Maar dan is daar Basuine, daar is Yom Kippur, Versoening, en dan is daar Tabernakels, of Hutte fees. Nou. Daar is ‘n gedeeltelike vervulling van hierdie heilige dae in Sy eerste koms. Toe Jesus gesterf het, het Hy Yom Kippur gedeeltelik vervul. Hy is ons Hoë Priester wat die perfekte versoening gebring het. Die Tempel se voorhangsel het geskeur. Sondige mense is nie langer geskei van ‘n Helige God nie, dit het Jesus gedeeltelik vervul, en hoe Hy dit vervul is soos volg. Tabernakels is gedeeltelik vervul in Johannes 7, maar die volle vervulling van Esegiël 47 vind plaas in die Millennium. Sagaria 14 sê vir ons dat Jesus in die Millennium in Jerusalem aanbid gaan word. Hy vervul die Lente feeste met Sy eerste koms maar die herfs feeste is net tydelik vervul met Sy eerste koms, dit sal vervul word met Sy tweede koms. Yom Kippur, die Dag van Versoening het ‘n toekomstige betekenis.


Daar was twee bokke.


Lev. 16:1-10: “En die HERE het met Moses gespreek ná die dood van die twee seuns van Aäron, wat gesterf het toe hulle voor die aangesig van die HERE nader gekom het; en die HERE het aan Moses gesê: Spreek met jou broer Aäron dat hy nie te eniger tyd moet ingaan in die heiligdom nie, binnekant die voorhangsel, voor die versoendeksel wat op die ark is, sodat hy nie sterwe nie; want Ek verskyn in die wolk op die versoendeksel.


Hiermee moet Aäron in die heiligdom ingaan: met 'n jong bul as sondoffer en 'n ram as brandoffer. Hy moet 'n heilige linnerok aantrek en 'n linnebroek moet oor sy vlees wees en met 'n linnegordel moet hy hom gord en 'n linnetulband moet op sy hoof wees. Dit is heilige klere; en hy moet sy liggaam in die water bad en dit aantrek. En van die vergadering van die kinders van Israel moet hy twee bokramme as sondoffer en een ram as brandoffer neem.


Dan moet Aäron die sondofferbul wat vir hom bedoel is, aanbring en vir hom en sy huis versoening doen. Hy moet ook die twee bokke neem en hulle voor die aangesig van die HERE stel by die ingang van die tent van samekoms. En Aäron moet oor die twee bokke die lot werp, een lot vir die HERE en een lot vir Asásel. Dan moet Aäron die bok aanbring waar die lot vir die HERE op gekom het en hom as sondoffer berei; maar die bok waar die lot vir Asásel op gekom het, moet lewendig voor die aangesig van die HERE gestel word, om oor hom versoening te bewerk deur hom vir Asásel in die woestyn te stuur.”


Dit laat ons dink aan die beeld van een wat moet sterf sodat die ander een kan lewe en ook om weg tedoen met sonde. By ‘n sekere punt in Israel se geskiedenis het hierdie ander bok, die sondebok, teruggekom en met die tyd van Jesus het hulle ‘n gewoonte gehad. Hulle het die bok in die wildernis ingejaag en van ‘n krans afgestoot. Die ander bok was geken as die “Azazel” “Sier Azazel” Die sondebok.


    Hulle sou gekies word deur die lot te werp. As dit in die regterhand was dan was dit gesien as ‘n goeie teken. As die lot in die regterhand was, die een vir die Here, dan was dit gesien as goeie teken vir die mense wat vergewe was; hulle het kaporahontvang vir hulle sonde.


Die Hoë Priester het dan ook spesiale klere aangetrek wat hy net in hierdie tyd van die jaar gedra het. Hierdie klere was ‘n wit kleed met ‘n rooi lyfband- sash, of ‘n skarlaken gekleurde lyfband, net een maal ‘n jaar. Hy sou ook deur ‘n uitsonderlike ritueel gaan wat Mekudeshgenoem word, om geheilig te word of om eenkant gesit te word, afgelei van die Hebreeuse woord “kodesh” Dit is die selfde woord wat gerbruik word vir ‘n huwelik. Wanneer ‘n paartjie in die huwelik tree dan sê jy “mekudesh.”


Hierdie spesiale kleed wat die Hoë Priester met Yom Kippur aangetrek het stem ooreen met ‘n bruilof kleed. Die idee is dat net die persoon wat mekudeshword toegelaat om in te gaan. Na die dood van Aaron se seun het die Here Moses gewaarsku. “Moenie toelaat dat iemand anders ingaan nie.” [Met sy wit kleed en rooi lyfband met die klokkies]


Jy kan iets objektief weet “la daat”, maar wanneer jy iets subjektief weet dan is dit iets anders. In Grieks is die term “ginosko,” “om ‘n vrou te beken.” Josef het Maria “nie beken” tot na die geboorte van Jesus nie. Jy kan iets objektief ken maar dit is nie dieselfde as om iets subjektief te ken nie.


Reg van die begin af was Adam en Eva in die tuin geplaas om oor dit te heers. Hulle was veronderstel om sonde objektief te ken. Hulle moes weet dat daar ‘n duiwel is. Hulle moes objektief weet maar nie subjektief nie. Hulle was nie veronderstel om dit deur ondervinding te weet nie, hulle was nie veronderstel om dit in hulleself te ken nie. Net soos met die heilige huwelik. Om ‘n huwelik in Hebreeus te bevestig word die term “Miknasbah” “Om in haar in te gaan” gebruik, een persoon gaan in ‘n ander persoon en ‘n derde persoon word voortgebring. Dit leer ons oor die Drie Eenheid.


Enige persoon kan in ‘n mediese handleiding na ‘n vrou se geslagsdele kyk, enige persoon kan weet waaroor dit gaan maar net die persoon wat ge- mekodesh is, wat deur God vir die doel geheilig is, kan weet wat dit is om ‘n vrou te beken. Of soos met ‘n Jood wat die Tora lees, hulle kan dinge weet oor die Heilige Ark en oor die Toonbrood, hulle kon dinge lees oor die Dekaloog, hulle kon weet wat in die Ark is, maar net die Hoë Priester kon fisies weet wat dit is om daar in te gaan. As iemand anders as die bruid se man by haar slaap dan was dit ‘n gruwel omdat haar man die een is wat mekudesh—hy is die een wat God geheilig het.


Wel dit is dieselfde ding, as enige iemand anders as as die Hoë Priester, wat ge- mekudeshis, daar in gaan, dan was dit ‘n gruwel. Dit was veronderstel om ‘n geheim te wees, jy was nie veronderstel om te weet nie. Jy kan objektief weet maar jy kan dit nie ondervindings gewys weet nie, dit sou ‘n gruwel gewees het as jy geweet het. Die Hoë Priester kon weet wat dit was, onthou die Hebreeuse term vir die heiligmaking van die Hoë Priester op Yom Kippur is dieselfde as die heiligmaking tussen ‘n man en sy bruid, mekudesh.


“Met hierdie ring bevestig ek julle in die huwelik volgens die wette van Moses en Israel,”-  en dit dit is dit.


Dan trap jy die wynglas en jy is getroud.


Op daardie dag lyk hy anders, hy lyk nie soos die selfde persoon nie. Hy gaan deur hierdie lang ritueel van die mekudeshen hy bid die gebed van heiligmaking, ‘n gebed van mekudesh-voordat hy ingaan. Hy trek ‘n kleed aan voordat hy ingaan en hy lyk anders. Die eerste keer wat jy hom gesien het- het hy anders gelyk.


Lev. 16:11-16: “Aäron moet dan die sondofferbul wat vir hom bedoel is, laat aankom en vir hom en sy huis versoening doen: hy moet die sondofferbul slag wat vir hom bedoel is,  en die vuurpan vol gloeiende kole van die altaar voor die aangesig van die HERE wegneem; daarby twee handevol fyngestampte reukwerk van speserye en dit binnekant die voorhangsel bring.--


--- En hy moet die reukwerk op die vuur lê voor die aangesig van die HERE, dat die wolk van die reukwerk die versoendeksel wat op die Getuienis is, kan oordek, sodat hy nie sterwe nie. En hy moet van die bloed van die bul neem en dit met sy vinger op die versoendeksel aan die oostekant sprinkel; en voor die versoendeksel moet hy sewe maal met sy vinger van die bloed sprinkel. Dan moet hy die sondofferbok slag wat vir die volk bedoel is, en sy bloed binnekant die voorhangsel bring en met sy bloed doen soos hy met die bloed van die bul gedoen het: hy moet dit sprinkel op die versoendeksel en voor die versoendeksel. So moet hy dan vir die heiligdom versoening doen vanweë die onreinhede van die kinders van Israel en vanweë hulle oortredinge, wat hulle sondes ook al mag wees; so moet hy dit ook doen vir die tent van samekoms wat by hulle te midde van hulle onreinhede woon.”  [In die tyd van Jesus was dit in die tyd van die tweede Tempel]


Dit begin met die idee dat dit verewig kan wees, ‘n ewige opdrag om hierdie bloed te besit.


Daar is ‘n sameroeping maar nie ‘n pelgrim sameroeping nie; die mense het nie nodig gehad om na Jerusalem te kom soos wat hulle met die Paasfees gedoen het nie, dit kon tuis gevier of onderhou word, dit kon in Nasaret gehou word en nie noodwendig in Jerusalem nie. Paasfees, Pinkster, Tabarnakels moet in Jerusalem herdenk word behalwe deur die Levitiese priesters. Hy gaan deur dit. Hebreërs sê daar sal geen werk of voorbereiding vir dit gedoen word nie- la anot na shotem,letterlik- “om ons siele te pynig vir ons sonde.”


Hy sal deur die rituele wassing gaan en dan sal daar drie soorte offers wees, die gewone Tempel offers wat elke dag gedoen word, ‘n afgesonderde offer vir die priester soos wat ons in Hebreërs lees. Die Hoë Priester moet eerstens versoening doen vir sy eie sonde. Dit is waarom Jesus ‘n priester van ‘n ander orde moes wees, die orde van Melgisedek, Hy het nie sonde gehad nie, en dan die bok vir die sonde van die mense, drie offers. Hierdie bokke was deur die lot gekies.


Kom ons kyk na Lev.16: 21 en 22:


“--en Aäron moet sy twee hande op die kop van die lewendige bok lê en oor hom belydenis doen van al die ongeregtighede van die kinders van Israel en al hulle oortredinge, wat hulle sondes ook al mag wees; en hy moet dié op die kop van die bok lê en hom deur 'n man wat gereed staan, na die woestyn toe stuur. So moet die bok dan op hom al hulle ongeregtighede na 'n woeste land wegdra; en hy moet die bok in die woestyn los.” [In die tyd van Jesus is hulle agteruit oor die krans gestoot.]


Die Hoë Priester het die sonde van die mense op die bokke gesit. Die bokke sou dan in strate van Jerusalem gelei word, die mense sal op hulle spoeg en hulle skop, met klippe gooi, met stokke slaan en hulle vervloek omrede hulle sonde. Een bok sal dan losgelaat word en die ander een sal ‘n offer in die tempel wees en die Hoë Priester sal dan agter die voorhangsel ingaan, een maal ‘n jaar. Ons sien dit met Jesus se geboorte.


In die Apokriewe boek Henog lees ons dat die Azazel ook verwys na Satan as gevolg van die wortel “zaz”in die woord, wat te doen het met ‘om weg te vat’. Daar is twee bokke net soos wat daar ook twee voëls is in Levitikus 14; een sterf en een sal eindelik vry wees. Maar die Jode sien die twee bokke as een offer.


In die tyd van Christus was die distansie in die wildernis verdeel in distrikte, geken as deputasies totdat hulle finaal by die krans kom. Die Hoë Priester sou dan hierdie skoon rooi kleed met die klokkies aantrek. (Matt. 27: 28) en ‘n persoonlike belydenis aflê. Onthou toe hulle Jesus gekruisig het, wat se kleed het hulle Hom aangetrek? ‘n rooi kleed. Hy was ons Hoë Priester wat vir ons die volmaakte offer geword het. Hy sou ‘n goue (silwer) wierookbak in Sy hand hê. Dink aan die wierook, in Openbaring 8 en in Esegiël is wierook ‘n beeld van die gebede van die heiliges. Die Here sou die geure en die reukwerk van die mense ruik.  


    God sê in Jesaja1:13:“Bring nie meer skynheilige offergawes nie; gruwelike reukwerk is dit vir My--”  God sal nie hulle gebede of aanbidding van vreemde gode aanvaar nie. Misleide mense kan kerk toe gaan en kerk speel maar God sal nie hulle reukwerk aanvaar nie. Meer nog, Hy sal net die reukwerk ruik as die Hoë Priester dit inbring. God sal net ‘n gebed in die Naam van Jesus aanvaar.


Mense kan die kralekrans gebede opsê soveelkeer as wat hulle wil, maar God sal dit nie aanvaar nie. Moslems kan Allah die hele dag aanroep, maar eerstens, Allah is nie ons God nie en al was hy sou God nie hulle gebede hoor nie. Dit moet in die reukwerkbak van die Hoë Priester wees. Dit is net gebede in die Naam van Jesus wat God sal aanneem. Daar is geen ander Naam nie.


Nee, God hoor nie gebede van ongerede mense nie tensy hulle bid vir redding en tensy hulle God waarlik soek. Deur Sy genade sal Hy hulle trek na die weg van redding maar hulle sal in die naam van Jesus moet bid vir redding. Dit is net die wierookbak in die hand van die priester wat die enigste reukwerk is wat God sal ruik en wat Hom sal behaag. Maar dit gaan verder.


Die Hoë Priester wag in die Tempel terwyl hulle die ander bok ‘n ent weggelei word, ‘n distansie van geken word as 90 “ris”,12 myl, maar voor dit trek die Hoë Priester die rooi mantel uit en sny dit middeldeur en die een helfte word voor die Allerheiligste gehang terwyl die ander helfte van die kleed tussen die horings van die sondebok vasgemaak word, dit is voordat hy vir 90 “ris” rondgelei word.


Die Katolieke beweer daar is 14 kruis stadiums, nee daar is 90 en dit is nie in die stad nie maar buite die stad, Jesus was buite die stad gekruisig. Dit is waarom Jesus buite die stad gekruisig moes word.


Die Hoë Priester wag in die Tempel. Die lot was gewerp, die bokke is gekies; hy sit sy hande op die bokke vir die sonde van die mense, die parade vind plaas, die sondebok word in die wildernis ingelei en die bok vir die Here word geoffer.


‘n Aantal dinge vind plaas vanaf die tyd van Jesus en verder, ons weet dit uit die Joodse geskiedenis, uit die Mishnah. Dit was nie deur mense met ‘n Christelike vooroordeel geskryf nie. As mense se sonde vergewe was, gebaseer op Jesaja 1:18, dan het die rooi kleed wat voor die Allerheiligste gehand het wit geword. “Al was julle sonde so skarlaken dit sal wit word soos sneeu.”


Judaïsme sê in die Mishnah dat vir 40 jaar voor die vernietiging van die Tempel, vanaf 70n.C., as ons dit terug werk, vanaf die tyd van Jesus en verder, het dit nooit weer wit geword nie, die sonde van die Jesus mense was nooit weer vergewe nie. Die wet van waarskynlikheid sê dat as jy ‘n lot of ‘n geldstuk vat, kop of stert, en jy gooi dit 40 keer of meer op dan sal dit uiteindelik by ‘n gelyke hoeveelheid koppe en sterte eindig. Wiskundig is dit met waarskynlikheids teorie bewysbaar.


Die mense se sondes was nie meer vergewe nie. Die mees-wes kandelaar in dieTempel het bly doodgaan en die deure van die Tempel, wat deur 24 manne oop en toe gemaak moes word, het vanself oopgegaan.


Dit het volgens Josephus alles gebeur voor die gebeure van 70 nC. toe die Tempel verwoes was.


Daar was ook ‘n seremonie wat geken was as “Mosoph.”Die Hoë Priester het hulle sy normale klere laat aantrek en sy ander klere uitgetrek sodat hy kon lyk soos wat hy altyd gelyk het. Hy sou dan probeer huistoe gaan na wat geken was as die boonste stad van die Tempel, en die mense wat in Jerusalem gebly het sou na hom gestroom het en hom probeer verhoed om nie huis toe te gaan nie. Hulle sou hom fisies probeer keer om nie huis toe gaan nie, dit is toe hulle gesien het wie hy was toe hy die kleed uitgetrek het. Net so was dit met Jesus. Toe Hy in die Aller Heiligste ingegaan het, het Hy dit as God gedoen. Wanneer Hy terugkom as die Een wat hulle uiteindelik gaan herken dan sal hulle Hom nie wil verlaat nie.


   “Moenie ons verlaat nie, moenie weggaan nie.” Hulle het probeer om hom te ooreed om te bly. Die hele seremonie was ‘n beeld van die Here Jesus. Maar vandag word dit gevier deurom na ‘n sinagoge te gaan en om rituele kosse te eet wat “Kreplach” genoem word, en hoender sop en “sinis”, wat ‘n soortvan soet vleisdis is.


Ultra-Ortodokse Jode van nie te lank gelede het iets beoefen wat geken was as die “macoat”. hulle trek ‘n swaar “macheel” of verskeie oorklere aan en dan slaan hulle mekaar met belde, 39 houe.


Vandag, omdat hulle nie meer goeie priester,‘n Tempel of goeie bok het nie, het hulle begin om hoenders se nekke om te draai. Vandag in die sinagoge begin hulle met ‘n gebed wat die Kol Nidregenoem word, ‘n Aramese gebed wat baie oud moet wees omdat dit in Aramees is. Dit kom heelmoontlik van die Spaanse Inkwisisie af toe die Jode gedwing was om Roomse Katolieke te word, maar omdat dit in Aramees is moet dit ouer as dit wees.


Kol Nidrebeteken “Alle Geloftes”, alle gebreekte gelofdes wat aan God gemaak is. Hoekom? Omdat die bloed van die bok te doen het met sonde wegneming. Hulle sê die regte dinge maar hulle weet nie hoekom nie. Dan lees hulle die Boek van Jona. Die Heidene het hulle bekeer maar nie die Jode nie. Ongelooflik!


Dan werk hulle deur ‘n akrostiese gedig, wat eintlik gesing word en wat geken word as Yaaleh Tachanuneinu. “Mag ons in die verbond opstaan en selachti, vergewe ons, “anu ammecha” ons is U mense.”


Dan het hulle iets wat “Yizor” genoem word, die nagedagtenis van die dode, en laastens iets wat “nega” genoem word. Vandag vas hulle en doen al die ander dinge maar hulle het nie die sondebok nie. Die Judaïsme van vandag is nie die Judaïsme van Moses nie. Maar inplaas daarvan doen hulle ander dinge. Jy het hierdie twee bokke. Een van hulle is vir die Here wat in die Tempel geoffer word; die ander een is die Seir Azazel, hy word oor die krans gegooi.


Jesus vervul Pesach- Pasga, Eerste vrugte, Weke- Pinkster met Sy eerste koms. Die Herfs feesdae, Basuine, wat vandag deur die Rabbis verander is na Rosh Hashanah, hulle sê: “Voorspoedige Nuwe Jaar,” maar dit is nie wat die Skrifte sê nie, die Skrifte sê: “Bring die Basuin na jou mond, sal die mense nie bewe van vrees as hulle die basuin hoor nie? Dit het te doen met die naderende samekoms van Israel vir die Groot Verdrukking.


Daar is ‘n periode van 10 dae wat geken word as ‘Dae van Verskrikking’, Yomim HaNoraim” wat ooreenkom met die tydperk wanneer die Antichris baie mense gaan uitroei, en dit word opgevolg deur Yom Kippur, en laastens, Loof Hutte of Tabernakels, wat ooreenkom met die Millennium. Dit was net gedeeltelik deur Jesus met Sy eerste koms vervul. Hy was inderdaad ons Hoë Priester en Hy was die bok wat vir die Here bedoel was. Die ander bok sou later doodgemaak word.


Onthou, die Azazel is ‘n beeld van Satan. Die Seun van die Mens het gekom om die werke van Satan te vernietig. Hoekom kon hulle Jesus nie van die krans afgooi nie? Hy was die ander bok! Hulle het die verkeerde bok gehad. Hulle wou hom nie stenig nie, hulle wou Hom van die krans afgooi. Hy was die een wat vir die Here was. Wanneer Hy terugkom gaan die ander bok van die krans afgegooi word. Satan sal uiteindelik vernietig word.


Yom Kippur sal vervul word met die Wederkoms van Jesus. Die Antichris sal sy dinge doen, Yomim HaNoraim, die dae van wraak. Let op- 10 dae. Yomim HaNoraimis 10, dit beteken nie 10 letterlike dae van wraak nie. In Daniël 1 is daar 10 dae, soos met die kerk van Smirna. “Satan sal jou in die tronk sit vir 10 dae.” In Daniël 1 is daar 10 dae, Yomim HaNoraimis 10, dit beteken nie 10 letterlike dae nie maar hier kan dit dalk so wees, 10, wat Hy Yom Kippur sal vervul. Die ander bok moet doodgemaak word.


Satan is gedoem. Hy is uitgewerp maar hy is nie vernietig nie. Jesus het ons sonde op Hom geneem, dit is waar, maar die bok was vir die Here, die ander bok is die Azazel. Hierdie bok gaan vernietig word, hy gaan dood gemaak word. Dit is hoekom hulle Jesus nie van die krans kon gooi nie. Hulle het die verkeerde bok gehad en hulle het dit nie eers geweet nie.


   Dit is baie jammer dat die Joodse mense al hierdie waarhede gehad het maar hulle het nie geweet wat dit beteken nie. Hulle was deur God geroep om die draers van hierdie pragtige waarhede te wees. “Wat is dan die voordeel van die Jood?--- dat aan hulle die woorde van God toevertrou is.” Hulle het van al hierdie dinge geweet maar hulle het nie geweet wat wat dit beteken nie. Christene egter behoort te weet wat dit beteken, maar die meeste Christene weet dit nie.


Die Jode wat nie aan Jesus glo nie is nog meer blind, net so ook die nie-Jode, hulle is blind. Dit is baie nadelig, ons is veronderstel om nie blind te wees nie. Paulus sê: “Want ek wil nie hê, broeders, dat julle hierdie verborgenheid nie moet weet nie.-” Rom. 11:25. Ons is nie veronderstel om blind te wees nie. Soos wat Arnold Fruchtenbaum sê, “Julle kan baie dinge wees broeders, maar moenie onkundig wees nie.” Maar daar is baie onkundige broeders! Dit is waarom hulle Jesus nie oor die afgrond kon gooi nie, hulle het die verkeerde bok gehad, Hy is die ander bok. Met Jesus se terugkeer gaan Satan vernietig word. Met Sy wederkoms gaan Jesus Yom Kippur ten volle vervul.


Die feit dat ons sien hoe die Jode terugkeer na Israel; die basuin wat weerklink, dit is die sameroeping van Israel. Die Antichris kom. Satan gaan doen wat hy wil maar hy gaan van die krans af gegooi word, die werke van Satan gaan vernietig word, dit is wat gaan gebeur, dink daaroor.


Die Jode in Nasaret het nie ‘n idee gehad wat hulle doen nie. Tot vandag het die Jode in die Sinagoges nie ‘n idee wat aangaan nie, hulle is blind. Die woord vir blind in Hebreeus is “Evrim” Die woord in Hebreeus vir Hebreeus is Evrim, dit is basies dieselfde woord. Paulus sê: Wanneer die Tora gelees word is hulle blind, die Hel is voor hulle en hulle sien dit nie. Hulle het dit in hulle denke, dit is hulle godsdiens, hulle nalatenskap, dit is hulle kultuur, maar hulle kan dit nie sien nie.


Hulle het die verkeerde bok! Hulle het al die verkeerde dinge! Dit is skrikwekkend. Maar as die Azazel die Jode kon mislei dan verseker ek julle dat hy ook die Christene kan mislei. As die Azazel instaat was om Israel te mislei dan verseker ek julle dat hy geen probleem gaan hê om die grootste deel van die Kerk te mislei nie.


Dit was hulle Boek, dit was hulle geloof en hulle het dit nie gesien nie. As hy hulle kon mislei wie kan hy nie mislei nie? Moenie dat hy jou mislei nie.


God Seën!


JP 04/18


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