Londonistan

In 1920, an anti-Semite Jew hater of the first order was appointed by the British government to be the grand mufti of Jerusalem. Haj Amin al-Husseini who, it could be reasonably argued, exceeded even Adolph Hitler himself in his hatred of that race. At least, from time to time, the Third Reich attempted to deport some Jews from their conquered lands rather than murder them. Not so with Amin al-Husseini. He went to his death bed decades later advocating with zeal the death of EVERY Jew on earth. The man was a purist. Chuck Morse (The Nazi Connection to Islamic Terrorism, WND Books, 164) describes the appeasing nature of the appointment with these words: After al-Husseini instigated the 1920 pogrom against the Jews of Palestine, Herbert Samuel, the British administrator of Palestine and himself a Jew, appointed him as grand mufti of Jerusalem. This act of appeasement by Samuels finds its echoes in the response by many liberal world leaders to today's terrorist threat. (bold added) The operative word above would be "appeasement" I am currently reading Israel: A History by Martin Gilbert (Harper Perennial, 2008) concerning the Zionist movement from its beginnings to the beginnings of Aliyah, through the Holocaust, the establishment of the State of Israel and the wars that the Arab neighbors forced upon the Israeli people after that. One can barely read through ten pages without references to the impediments generated by the British Mandate authorities to prevent the immigration of Jews to the land of their ancestors. These impediments were generated with zeal at times, even when the Holocaust was made manifest to the Western world and Jewish lives could have been saved by supporting that movement. After the Balfour Declaration of support for the establishment of a homeland in Palestine for the Jewish People in 1917, British support for such an establishment started to evaporate. Middle East oil began it's allure to the Western World and ninety years later appeasement seemingly has won the day. So what does that have to do with Londonistan, one might ask? Well, while reading about such things I thought of the promises made by Abraham's God concerning the fact that He would bless Abraham and his seed. Further, He would bless those who blessed, and curse those who cursed. (Gen 12:2,3) So who has "cursed" here? One could postulate that Great Britain was certainly not blessing the Hebrew people through these decades, could one not? They were zealously pursuing just the opposite up until authority was transferred from the British Mandate to the international community in the form of the United Nations. To whatever degree one would imagine that in God's eyes this was a cursing, then a delicious thought (delicious if it were not so tragic) comes to mind in the form of poetic justice. Sixty plus years after the 1948 transfer of authority, London, the heart of British society, is being overrun by the very people whose approval they whored after at the expense of the Jewish people and nation, namely over 400,000 Muslim residents whose loyalty is to Islam and not to England. And, of course, it is becoming obvious that this infection is spreading throughout Europe. The World is snake-bit. Appeasement has won the day. It seems to me that only the Return of Christ will turn this around. We need to do what is right in His sight. Just some thoughts.

Another Tsunami

8.9 - WOW! Japan shakes violently. 8.9!!

Luke 21:25-28 came to my mind:

And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then will they see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN A CLOUD with power and great glory. But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.


There used to be a time when I did not witness to this passage. This is pertinent because I have believed that we are approaching the close of the age for over thirty years now. I could not, however, agree with those of like-mind who attempted to witness earthquake swarms and volcanic eruptions as signs that this passage was being fulfilled before our eyes. The intensity was simply not there to arouse my faith that that particular declaration in Luke was being made manifest. That condition is rapidly being reversed in my mind. This, however, is not the emotional and intellectual thrust that surfaced when I learned of the quake and subsequent damage.

We are living in a world that is realing from hatred, rebellion, duplicity, natural disasters and economic insolvency. Political and union thugs are justified in Wisconsin, militant Islam is winning the day because of greed and appeasement, the visible church is not outraged by the onslot of spiritual apostasy, the international community is about to have a financial crash, Arab nations are in rebellion with the only winner being the Muslim Brotherhood, and in the midst of it all the Western world is snake-bit. - 2 Tim. 3:1-5 comes to mind. - And now, 8.9! So, what are we to do?

Jesus tells us "to lift up our heads" Let me put it this way: beloved, we need to have this insane world drive us into the bosom of Christ. We are not a sobered church. Whatever Christ demands from us at this time of our lives should cause us to respond with sobriety and an intensity that the current world condition demands that we respond. I sense that there are many 8.9-like conditions in areas other than natural disasters that await this world.

Even so, come Lord Jesus!

Why Small Groups?

I watched this clip recently concerning a possible soon coming world-wide food shortage. The thought that immediately came to my mind was to share this with our Christian small group fellowship. We had talked in the past concerning the efficacy of storing food goods, etc. in the light of a possible inflationary period that would run up prices for food and other goods due to an excess in the printing of money to counter the ever-rising international debt that seems to loom as an elephant in our collective living rooms. See what you think. However, the thought also came to my mind that it would be productive to attach an article that I had written in the past concerning the value of Christians gathering in settings such as our living rooms as we see hard times approaching in general. Here it is:

Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near. (Heb. 10:24,5).

The question may better be phrased: What value is uniquely gained when one conducts small groups in the days in which we live? If one can postulate that we are living in the days that are approaching the close of the age, then a sense of sobriety and a sense of commitment to the church family is not only suggested, but is required. Two values immediately come to mind:

I. To stimulate one another to love and good deeds is not easily accomplished. One can not intellectually desire for koinania-like love and cause it to be realized within. Such internal fruit-bearing is a function of time and the working of the Holy Spirit Himself. Christian intimacy and love is not easily nourished during the exercise of the formal Sunday church service. Neither is it nourished during a formalized Bible study. As valuable as these two functions are, they do not encourage the formation of the internal fruit-bearing demanded by the Gospel message. Such a transformation is best realized in the intimacy of one’s home. In such a setting, small groups are able to interface with one another in an atmosphere removed from any formalized condition that tends to paralyze Christian camaraderie.

II. The maturing up of the Body is best realized in such a setting. Again, this is a process. Its realization is a function of time. When Christians fellowship in a venue such as one’s living room, weekly sharing the joys and the pain resident in each persons life, Christian love and commitment becomes self-generating. It is here that long-term learning is best attained, whether through Bible teaching, observation of current events as they pertain to the Church, the studying of topics that may be pertinent, or any other topic worth pursuing as the moment demands. It is under these conditions that our unity is forged. As the months and years pass by, our faithfulness to one another will have been tested, and the chords that bind us will be less easily broken.

It may be apparent that this position has been motivated by an eschatological mind-set. If indeed this position is adopted, then the implications become not only intellectually, but experientially critical. If we indeed are approaching the very close of the age, it must then be assumed that our faith will be severely tested (Mt 10:22; 24:13), apostasy will surround us (Mt. 24:10; 2 Thes. 2:3; 3:13) and the temptation towards a humanistic-like religiosity will woo us. One cannot be isolated at such a time. One needs to be surrounded by a community that is encouraging one another, nourishing upon the Word of God, observing the current events generated by the godless international community, remaining faithful to Christ and remaining faithful to His church community under conditions of severity. Such a womb-like atmosphere is best found in a home environment, is overseen by a church eldership, and will birth fruit only through a period of time.

We are a called-out people. Under the current, dynamic and godless world conditions, it seems to me that the essence of a small group home fellowship resides in its gathering together. Further as a tactical means of accomplishment, it seems wise that such fellowships observe the ever-changing world conditions and be strengthened by mutual Christian support so that faithlessness and apostasy may be avoided. The home fellowship may be the instrument by which the Lord physically, as well as spiritually, separates us out of a religious world-view that is more akin to worldliness than it is to Spiritual separation. The greater is the world’s hostility; the greater will be our physical and spiritual separation. The greater is the world’s hostility; the more pure and intense will be that separation. We are a called-out people. It is not subject to our approval.

The End of the World

Here is some big news: Namely that the "the end of the world" will occur on May 21, 2011. This sobering fact has been declared by Harold Camping recently and needs some sort of comment, wouldn't you think? Now, it will not be the intent of this site to disprove Mr. Camping, although I firmly believe him to be wrong. Rather, it will be my intent to plead for a little more sobriety before making such claims by various members of the body of Christ and further to demand a little more discipline when "exegeting" various texts from the Bible.

Mr. Camping uses the utterance of Gen. 7:4 to be symbolic of 7000 years as a prediction of the final judgement of mankind when the end of the age is upon us. The LORD speaks thus unto Noah: For after seven more days, I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights; and I will blot out from the face of the land every thing that I have made. The reasoning goes thus: Seven days of grace was given to Noah before the flood; one day is as a thousand years to God (Ps. 90; 2 Peter 3); the flood occurred in the year 4990 BC (? - Campings number), thus 7000 years after 4990 BC, God will again destroy the earth - May 21, 2011 is upon us!

Now, I have no problem believing that,at times, in Scripture one could speculate that one day might prophetically equal one year, or even one millennium; but to emphatically predict the end of the age and even to word it such, namely that it will be "the end of the World", is not justified. How much harm will be done to some Christians with fragile faith when hopes arise, or serious acts of response are exercised and the event does not take place? It is lazy exegesis, or even non exegesis, to use the passage in the Psalm, or the one in 2 Peter to use the day-equals- millennium as a formula to predict the very end of the age. Peter is screaming to his readers "stop mocking believers who think that the end of the age is here; God is patient - one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is as one day. Don't mock; He will return and will deal with all rebellion. Be sobered and don't mock." The Psalmist would agree. This is not a formula.

Noah Hutchings has an excellent and succinct article in the Prophetic Observer (Jan. 2011). He concludes that Camping is as much as 2552 years off. He words it this way:

HOWEVER...the most recognized biblical chronologist, Ussher, states that Noah entered the Ark on Sunday, December 7, 2438 B.C. Scofield and a vast majority of other biblical chronologists agree within ten years of Bishop Ussher's date. IN OTHER WORDS, CAMPING IS 2,552 YEARS OFF. (His bold)

BTW, if Camping is correct, believe me, I will be with him when it happens. Let's just be a little more careful. Eschatology is not to be handled as a toy to extol the "brilliance" of Christian commentators.

The Universal Card

And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand, or on their forehead, and he provides that no one should be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either, the name of the beast or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty -six. (Rev. 13: 16-18)

So, how close are we to getting such a mark, one might ask? Consider this article authored by C. W. Getz in The American Thinker (Dec. 10). Alluding to the insecurity of various cards to correctly identify the card holder, whether they be ID in nature, credit cards, drivers licences, etc., etc, the author says this:

Some complex problems have simple soutions. Gaining acceptance and implementing the solutions are often complex. Consider these four seemingly disparate problems: (1) pernicious, intrusive passenger security measures at airports, (2) credit card fraud, (3) stolen personal identity, and (4) illegal immigration. They do have an element in common: personal identification.

The author goes on to consider the motivation for solving these various problems. If we can consider that there are many more problems that will some day force the issue, may we posit as a given that the motivation for a solution will soon be so strong that that solution, whatever it will eventually be, will be demanded and thus will eventually be accomplished.

His solution? A national ID card that ties the bearer of the card with the card itself. That card would be one's social security card and the vehicle for tying the card with the bearer of said card would be a biometric identifier such as fingerprints or eye/face scans. Perfect - complete - foolproof - simple! Biometric technology would authenticate the bearer of the card as the person that the card claims him, or her, to be. The technology is already here he claims. And, of course, that technology is indeed here. One could reasonably claim that the technology demanded by Rev. 13:16 is also available at this time. The only impediment to such usage is a world community that is not quite ready to collapse. The technology is here - the international will is yet to be - the strongman/beast awaits.

What is of interest here is the fact that the author ties none of this sequence with the biblical narrative. He (and the entire godless world-community) thinks this to be a good idea - And it is! In the natural realm it is. The passage that the revelator John narrated will be accomplished. The implication here is that it will be accomplished in the soon future.

In the natural realm this is a reasonable, logical and productive activity to accomplish.
In the spiritual realm it will force a terrible decision-making sequence to all who claim the name of Christ. Now is the time for sobriety; now is the time to prepare for such a day. Please do not make the mistake of implying a hand-wringing mentality here. The technological transition from card to hand or forehead will be effortless. The response to such a scenario will be eternal. Stand firm!