18 Mar 2024

Living in Safety

Wow, what a time to be alive. I’m old enough to remember Bible prophecy talks from 40 years ago, and “we” thought the end was near then! In retrospect, I can see how that was the prevailing thinking, but in truth, it underscores how much we don’t know at any given time.

Once again, many are predicting we are on the very threshold of Christ’s return. I think this puts prophecy teaching in somewhat of a precarious position. On the one hand, it seems to be the case. On the other hand, there are some prophetic passages in Scripture that are “problematic” in pinpointing dates. And therein lies the real problem: often, we run ahead of where we are actually are on the prophetic timeline. God intends to keep His secrets, and so I think we need to be very careful about claiming certain things are about to come to pass. Looking in the mirror, sometimes I do this, too, so I’m not criticizing others without some personal introspection.

First, let’s look at just this week’s headlines.

The Regime in Washington trotted-out the figurehead this week, and he delivered a frightening and incoherent “State of the Union” address. Biden—who, I want to heavily emphasize, has NEVER been on Israel’s side, despite that 40-year talking point—viciously gives cover to the demonic Hamas. He has been threatening Israel in public and private, berating Bibi Netanyahu, who has both seen combat and led his country for decades. Biden’s personal accomplishments?

Grifting.

Next, lots of bad reports like this: Australia is renewing funding to the utterly corrupt UN’s “relief agency,” UNWRA, which has funneled billions to the Palestinians in what amounts to a slush fund.

Also, pro-Hamas protestors around the world are being allowed to block highways, university events, city streets.

Added to the evil is U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, publicly threatening Israel from the Senate floor, calling for new elections in order to oust Netanyahu! We remember Bill Clinton’s election interference in Israel from way back in the 90s, but this is unprecedented.

And here I want to make a point: it is clear that when Israel is abandoned by her allies in the last days, it will be the LEADERSHIP of those nations that turn, not necessarily the people themselves. The world over today, freedom-loving people are protesting their totalitarian governments. I’m talking places like France and Canada, not the usual characters.

In any case, I never thought I’d live to see Western governments harming Israel.

Meanwhile, the chief Hamas demon in Gaza, Sinwar, incredibly is able to negotiate even as he holds some hostages. He wouldn’t have lasted two days back in October if world pressure came to bear on him and not Israel. We are living in Clown World, or what the Bible refers to as “Upside-Down World”:

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who exchange darkness for light, and light for darkness; who exchange bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20)

But we are believers. We are not hostage to fear. I might be infuriated by Biden and Schumer, but I do not despair and do not fear that Israel will disappear. That is not biblical and it is not becoming a person of faith.

In 2 Samuel 7:2-24, we read:

And who is like Your people, like Israel—a single nation in the land, whom God went to redeem as a people for Himself, making a name for Himself by doing great and awesome things for Your land, before Your people whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, a nation and its gods. You established Your people Israel as Your own people forever, and You, Lord, became their God.

The gods of this world have their few moments in the sun and then they wither away. So it is today. One day, we don’t know when, Israel will “dwell in safety,” with no walls. It is then that the stage is set for the Great Day of the Lord. Currently, Israel does not “live in safety.”

Until then, our mandate is to pray and watch.

The victory is already assured.

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11 Mar 2024

Up Next: Rafah

Everyone knows that to truly defeat Hamas once and for all, Israel will have to launch a ground operation into Rafah, the southernmost section of the Gaza Strip. The Hamas rats have been scurrying that way for four months. It’s the last holdout.

I listened to commentary from Hugh Hewitt the other day; his guest was The Times of Israel’s Haviv Rettig Gur.

(I’m not a fan of Hewitt, who seems comfortable in the Washington Establishment crowd, although he always touts his conservative credential. In any case, it often helps to hear other perspectives.)

Gur said something interesting when asked if Israel would stand down for Ramadan, the Muslim holy month. It’s coming up and Hamas is counting on a reprieve during Ramadan.

Gur replied that the IDF wouldn’t even consider doing that, given the fact that their neighbor enemies have not hesitated in the past to attack Israel on the eve of Jewish holy days (the 1973 War and October 7, for starters). Israel will not be deterred.

In fact, they announced weeks ago that if a serious deal for hostage release was not achieved by March 13, they would go into Rafah. Because Israel now has the upper hand on these demons, I expect the operation to commence at the optimum moment for the IDF. Actually, it’s good to know that Hamas, including the demon-in-chief Sinwar, are nervous about this last battle.

With another enemy, Joe Biden, announcing in his unhinged “State of the Union” address that the U.S. would further undermine Israel by establishing a port to bring in humanitarian aid to Gaza, the IDF’s job is further complicated. In fact, that is one of the frustrating parts of the Hewitt-Gur interview. Gur did insist on having “gratitude” to Biden for his “support” of Israel during this war. The fact is, Biden has always been an enemy of Israel, and his constant meddling in the current war has cost lives and time, and extended the horrors happening to the hostages. He is a malevolent force.

Israel has prosecuted this war in mostly stellar fashion. They went farther and faster (like Patton’s Third Army!) than they probably expected to. Hamas right now is so diminished, they can’t recover once Rafah is done.

A senior military commander told Israel Hayom that the Rafah operation is probably days away.

Rafah has a population of about 170,000 (by comparison, the largest city near me is Springfield, Missouri, with a similar-size population) and is about 20 miles south of Gaza City. This is no two-day thing. It’s more urban fighting for IDF troops, but they’ve become so good at it (their tactics will be studied at war colleges for decades to come), it’s only a matter of time before Hamas is completely destroyed.

What comes next is the issue. The interesting thing is, Israel has stuck to the basic plan from the start. In October, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that Gaza would “never go back to what it was.” Netanyahu has continually rebuffed the West in its demands both for an immediate ceasefire and the lunatic ideas spread around about the next ruling body in Gaza. Israel doesn’t want the job, but rest assured, they will maintain security for a very, very long time.

The mainstream media are so evil, they are working overtime to prevent an Rafah attack. CNN says there is “catastrophic” hunger in Gaza. The UN, according to Reuters, says a Rafah attack “must not happen!”

These voices are the shrill Barney Fifes of modern geopolitics. Nothing is going to prevent Israel from finishing the job.

They don’t have another option.

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