US Embassy Moves to Jerusalem: A False Peace - Part 2
READING TIME: 32 MINUTES
The following are the notes to part two of the discussion found at this link (https://www.facebook.com/tammy.cheetham.77/videos/393928891106825/?id=100014819433180) for anyone who would like to study the subject more in depth.
As we said at the end of part one we will begin part two by discussing the speech made by Jared Kushner at this event, and he makes so many statements that need to be discussed, I will read a bit and then comment and continue in that pattern: (45:51 left in the TBN video: https://www.facebook.com/TBN/videos/1703072146395974/) (His full remarks are at this link: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaIt8Tchqqc).
“The United States stands with Israel because we both believe in freedom. We stand together because we both believe in human rights. We stand together because we believe democracy is worth defending. And, the United States stands with Israel because we believe, we know, that it is the right thing to do. When we stand together for the principles and values we share, we shine a light of justice unto the world. Israel proves every day the boundless power of freedom. Israel is the only land in the Middle East in which Jews, Muslims and Christians and people of all faiths participate and worship freely according to their beliefs. Israel protects women’s rights, freedom of speech, and the right of every individual to reach their God-given potential. These are the same values that the United States cherishes. These are the values that bind us together. (Well, since Jared Kushner kept mentioning the shared values and principles which both the United States and Israel hold I thought it would be helpful to mention the following information from an article in Political Quarterly: “Israel’s Proclamation of Independence makes few concessions to the Almighty. The word ‘God’ does not appear, though there is a passing reference to trusting in the ‘Rock of Israel’. Israel, it decrees, will be a Jewish state, but the concept is nowhere defined. The state, it says, ‘will be based on the principles of liberty, justice and peace as conceived by the Prophets of Israel; will uphold the full social and political equality of all its citizens, without distinction of religion, race, or sex; will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, education and culture; will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions; and will loyally uphold the principles of the United Nations Charter’. Every student of modern Israel should reread the proclamation of May 14, 1948, at least once a year. It is a reminder of the secular vision of the founding fathers. Israel was to be a modern democratic state, an expression of Jewish nationalism rather than Jewish faith (https://www.thoughtco.com/israel-a-religious-or-a-secular-state-3975207). (And, then, I thought it would be pertinent to make a few comparisons between these statements I just read and America’s founding documents). We read that the word ‘God’ does not appear in Israel’s Proclamation of Independence and we know neither does ‘God’ appear in the US constitution. There are four references to a generic ‘God’ in the United States Declaration of Independence and they are as follows: “divine Providence,” “Nature’s God,” “Creator,” and “Supreme Judge.” Well, adherents of any religious sect can read these words and apply them to the god they worship because they would have a creator god, and so forth. Then, the state of Israel is to be based on the principles of liberty, justice and peace. We know that the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America ends with the phrase ‘with liberty and justice for all.’ The state of Israel guarantees freedom of religion as does the 1st amendment of the Bill of Rights for the United States. And, just as Israel was to be a modern democratic state, an expression of Jewish nationalism rather than Jewish faith, so was this nation to be an expression of American nationalism rather than Christian faith. Besides the statements I have just made we also read that the Treaty of Tripoli stated that the United States was not founded on Christianity. Article 11 says the following: “As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion…” President John Adams signed this treaty and it was ratified by the United States Senate without debate unanimously in 1797 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Tripoli). (In addition, the concept of freedom of religion actually resists the idea of only one God. The founding fathers of this country created a nation where people can worship "any" God and this breaks the first commandment because not having any other gods before God would include not having any alongside Him, either. So, what we have is two nations sharing a bond of adherence to religious pluralism; both nations would claim to respect and obey the God of the universe, but they don’t even know Him; and, both are committing absolute idolatry. Thus, we would say that the shared values and principles spoken of by Jared Kushner do not please God at all. God is not impressed by freedoms established by man because our liberty is in Christ; neither is He impressed by democracy and He is abhorred by the worship of other gods).
Continuing with Jared Kushner’s speech: “In confronting common threats and in pursuit of common interests, previously unimaginable opportunities and alliances are emerging. I am also proud to be here today as a member of the team that Pres. Trump has entrusted to lead the efforts to bring peace between Israelis and Palestinians…” (Well, I hope people truly listen closely to the language we hear so much today that points to a one world government. When we hear the word common we should sit up and take notice and also when we hear phrases such as “previously unimaginable opportunities and alliances are emerging.)
Jared Kushner went on to say: “On Dec. 6 Pres. Trump was very clear that his decision and today’s celebration do not reflect a departure from our strong commitment to lasting peace; a peace that overcomes the conflicts of the past in order to give our children a brighter and more boundless future. As we have seen from the last month and even today, those provoking violence are part of the problem and the solution. The United States is prepared to support a peace agreement in every way that we can. We believe that it is possible for both sides to gain more than they give so that all people can live in peace, safe from danger, free from fear, and able to pursue their dreams…Jerusalem is a city unique in the history of civilization. No other place on earth can claim significance to three major religions: each day Jews pray at the Western Wall; Muslims bow in prayer at Al Aqsa Mosque; Christians worship at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. (Again, all people will never live in peace without Jesus Christ ruling and reigning on this earth. And, there certainly won’t be any worship of false gods at that time. Also, every time I hear the word Christian anymore I double-check to make sure they aren’t actually talking about Catholics, and I researched the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and sure enough, this is what I found on Wikipedia:
“This is a church in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. The church contains, according to traditions dating back to at least the fourth century, the two holiest sites in Christianity: the site where Jesus of Nazareth was crucified, at a place known as "Calvary" or "Golgotha", and Jesus's empty tomb, where he is said to have been buried and resurrected. The main denominations sharing property over parts of the church are the Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic and Roman Catholic, and to a lesser degree the Coptic Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox and Ethiopian Tewahedo. Meanwhile, Protestants, including Anglicans, have no permanent presence in the Church. Some Protestants prefer The Garden Tomb, elsewhere in Jerusalem, as a more evocative site to commemorate Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_the_Holy_Sepulchre).
And, continuing with Jared Kushner’s speech: “That is why Pres. Trump has called many times, including right now, on all parties to maintain the status quo at Jerusalem’s holy sites, including the temple mount, also known as Haram esh-Sharif. While the challenges to peace are numerous, I have personally seen that the determination of the leaders in the region and throughout the world remains steadfast. They have seen too much pain, sorrow, and wasted opportunity, and they think it is time to try something better…Jerusalem must remain a city that brings people of all faiths together to visit, to worship, to respect each other, to appreciate the majesty of history and the glory of God’s creation. Israel’s been a responsible custodian of Jerusalem and has kept these religious sites open to all. In fact, immediately after the 1967 war, one of the first acts of the Knesset was to adopt the “Protection of Holy Places” law, insuring access to places of worship to members of all religions. As Israel turns 70, the search for a lasting peace turns over a new leaf: one of realism and of not being afraid to stand strongly with our allies for what is good, for what is right, and for what is true. When there is peace in this region, we will look back upon this day and remember that the journey to peace started with a strong America recognizing the truth. The pursuit of peace is the noblest pursuit of human-kind. I believe peace is within reach if we dare to believe that the future can be different from the past. That we are not condemned to relive history, and that the way things were is not how they must forever be…In my office in the White House, I keep a photo (his grandparents fled Nazi Germany) to remind me how high the stakes are when nations fail to recognize right from wrong and the decisive power America has to tip the scales in favor of the righteous. Today we take another historic step in that direction. I am confident that as a result our nations will be stronger, our peoples more prosperous, and our futures filled with even greater promise for peace. May God bless you. May God bless Israel. May God bless the United States of America.” (So, Jared Kushner says Jerusalem must remain a city that brings people of all faiths together to worship, that Israel has kept these religious sites open to all, and that one of the first acts of the Knesset was to adopt the “Protection of Holy Places” law, insuring access to places of worship to members of all religions. I truly hope people are noticing that Jerusalem, whether anyone there knows it or not, is preparing to be the headquarters of the one world religion. You know, it isn’t just coincidence that they want to bring people of all faiths together to worship. And, then, Kushner speaks of a future filled with an even greater promise of peace. But, yet again, as a Jew, Jared Kushner is not looking for the return of the Prince of Peace, but rather for the appearance of their mashiach).
And, then, the next person who spoke that we want to mention is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: “My friends, what a glorious day! Remember this moment! This is history. President Trump by recognizing history, you have made history…My friends, this is a great day for Israel. It's a great day for America. It's a great day for our fantastic partnership...but I believe it's also a great day for peace…Truth and peace are interconnected. A peace that is based on lies will crash on the rocks of Middle Eastern realities…And the truth is that Jerusalem has always been, and will always be, the capital of the Jewish people, the capital of the Jewish state. Then, the Prime Minister quoted Zech. 8:3 which says, ‘Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain.’ May the opening of this embassy in this city spread the truth far and wide and may the truth advance a lasting peace between Israel and all our neighbors. (But, as you often say, sister Tammy, they have the wrong time period when they quote these verses. This verse is for the Millennium, not now. They don’t know this verse is about Jesus we know as Lord and Saviour, but one day Jews will).
Then, John Hagee gave the closing benediction (about 31:26 left). “It was You, O Lord, who gathered the exiles from the nations, and brought them home again. It was You who made statehood possible. (You know, sister Tammy, several people mentioned the gathering or regathering of Israel in their comments and speeches. I wonder how many people have just assumed that the regathering of Jews from around the world, and their 1948 statehood, is the fulfillment of God’s promises regarding the regathering of Israel in the last days. But, we should ask how this could be so since the horrendous time of Jacob’s trouble hasn’t occurred yet. God’s Word doesn’t predict a regathering, repentance, acknowledgement of Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, and incredible restoration and THEN a time of trouble as never has been seen, but obviously these events occur the other way around. Additionally, there are many scriptures we could mention, but let’s look at Amos 9:14-15. Some would say these have been fulfilled since the nation of Israel has truly blossomed since 1948 and they view Israel’s accomplishments as matching these scriptures which read: “And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord thy God.” However, part of Zech. 14:2 says, “For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity.” Well, how can the inhabitants of Israel supposedly be planted, never to be pulled up out of their land, while at the same time half of Jerusalem, Israel’s most important city, is taken into captivity? Now, I do realize that many are preterists and believe any reference to captivity or destruction concerning Israel describes events which occurred in 70 AD. They also believe the events described in Revelation concerning the great tribulation already occurred in that year. But, I want to read Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:21-22: “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.” If we believe Jesus’s words here, as we most definitely should, we cannot accept that He was describing the siege and destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Now, that was a horrific event, no doubt about it, and hundreds of thousands perished, but it was not the worst the world has seen. And, as far as being the worst holocaust ever experienced by the Jews, it most certainly didn’t even come close).
(Now, we realize God permitted that which occurred in Israel in 1948. God has either orchestrated or permitted everything that has happened in history, obviously. Since His Word predicts a coming great tribulation which will be Israel-centric, if you will, there must be a nation of Israel in existence during this time. And, we know it is Israel-centric because of the following for example: First of all, Jesus gave the Olivet Discourse as recorded in Matthew 24 and 25 while overlooking Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. Jesus spoke of the abomination of desolation in the holy place and He told those in Judea to flee into the mountains, and so forth. Secondly, in 2 Thes. 2:4 we read of that man of sin, the son of perdition who sits in the temple of God. Since the antichrist exalts himself as God, and since there never has been a temple of the one true God anywhere besides Jerusalem, people will be deceived into thinking he is God. So, God has allowed this nation of Israel to come into being to allow prophecy to be fulfilled, but we have not yet seen the promised regathering of Israel in the last days and we do not blindly support everything she does now. We especially do not support anything coming in the name of peace that is orchestrated by ungodly men. And, even more so, we do not support anything which tolerates false worship and essentially sets up idols to man- made gods. Have people completely forgotten that the nations of Israel in 722 BC, and Judah in 587 BC, were both taken into captivity due to idolatry? You know, the easiest way to explain we have NOT witnessed the fulfillment of God’s promises regarding the regathering of Israel in the last days is that Ezek. 11:16-20 has NOT come to pass. I want to read and focus specifically on verses 18 and 20 which say: “And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence. That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.” And, we see a similar prophecy in Ezekiel 36:25-28, “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.” You know, we have not seen national repentance including the cessation of worship of false gods. Israel has allowed abortions since 1977 just for one example of abominations. And, they have not called upon Jesus as Saviour so even if Jews mention God, they are not speaking of the one true God as we have clearly demonstrated by scripture. We know we can only come into relationship with God after being redeemed by the blood of Jesus).
Continuing with Hagee’s prayer: “It was You that gave a miraculous victory in 1967 when Jerusalem was re-opened to worshippers of all faiths…Jerusalem is where Messiah will come and establish a Kingdom that will never end… (But, when we think about the fact that God sent Israel and Judah into captivity for idolatry, do we really think God would have given the modern state of Israel a victory which made it possible for Jerusalem to be re-opened to worshippers of all faiths?) And, one more sentence by him was, “Jerusalem is where Messiah will come and establish a Kingdom that will never end. (So, we have John Hagee making a reference to the Messiah, just as Robert Jeffress did, but they are speaking of Jesus Christ when they say Messiah, and the Jews in attendance at this celebration do not believe Jesus Christ is their mashiach as we have discussed). And, then, we should mention a few things about John Hagee to demonstrate he is not to be followed. He is the founder and Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, TX. This is a nondenominational, evangelical church. Hagee is also the founder of Christians United for Israel which is the largest pro-Israel organization in the United States (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christians_United_for_Israel). In an article in the Houston Chronicle from 1988 Hagee is quoted as saying, “I believe that every Jewish person who lives in the light of the Torah, which is the word of God, has a relationship with God and will come to redemption… In fact, trying to convert Jews is a waste of time. The Jewish person who has his roots in Judaism is not going to convert to Christianity. There is no form of Christian evangelism that has failed so miserably as evangelizing the Jewish people. They (already) have a faith structure. Everyone else, whether Buddhist or Baha’i, needs to believe in Jesus,” he says. “But not Jews. Jews already have a covenant with God that has never been replaced by Christianity.” (“San Antonio Fundamentalist Battles Anti-Semitism,” Houston Chronicle, April 30, 1988, sec. 6, pg. 1)
Now, over the years there have been reports where he says if Jews come to his church they will hear a clear presentation of the gospel, but it sounds like he is speaking out of both sides of his mouth. I am going to include a link to an article which includes additional information and the listeners can study this more if they so choose (http://www.apologeticsindex.org/357-john-hagee-salvation).
We do know Hagee has been a major proponent of the embassy move. In a recent interview with conservative news site Breitbart, he revealed that he told Pres. Trump he would win "political immortality" for moving the embassy from Tel Aviv. "I told him that the moment that you do that, I believe that you will step into political immortality," the news site quoted Hagee as saying. "Because you are having the courage to do what other presidents did not have the courage to do" (https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/13/politics/hagee-jeffress-us-embassy-jerusalem/index.html). (I found that very interesting because we have seen the pride Pres. Trump has exhibited and one could almost think he made the decision to move the embassy so he could achieve this “political immortality”).
Another concern about John Hagee is his promotion of the Four Blood Moons deception in 2014 and 2015. (You know, I just don’t understand why people continue to follow those who write books and promote these ideas. When nothing happens no one calls them on the carpet for their lies and they are free to continue deceiving people) (http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/insideisrael/2014/february/divine-sign-for-israel-hagee-explains-blood-moons).
Then, after Hagee’s benediction, Matt Crouch, the head of TBN, spoke to some guests who attended. Cissy Graham Lynch, Billy Graham’s granddaughter, said this: “I don’t know if I’ve quite processed what we’ve witnessed today. It was unbelievable and I’ll never forget what the prime minister said: ‘To have peace you have to build it on truth.’ And, that is so true that we build our foundation on God’s Word and God’s Word alone. And, that’s just kind of like the foundation of what we saw today. And, it was just beautiful to witness history. (So, we have Cissy Graham Lynch saying we build our foundation on God’s Word and God’s Word alone, but she seems to have completely forgotten the instructions in God’s Word to remain separate in 1 Cor. 6:14, for example, which says, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?”) Besides attending this ecumenical ceremony, she prayed at the National Day of Prayer event on May 3 held in the Rose Garden at which Hindu priest Narayanachar Digalakote said this, “All of us are divine. I bow to the divinity in all of you” (http://fox59.com/2018/05/03/trump-to-sign-executive-order-creating-faith-based-initiative-during-national-day-of-prayer-event/).
In addition, she prayed at the presidential inaugural prayer service held at the Washington National Cathedral (https://billygraham.org/video/cissie-graham-lynch-prays-presidential-inaugural-prayer-service/). The National Prayer Service, an inaugural tradition that has come to include clergy from many religions, in 2017 featured representatives of the Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, Baha’i, Navajo, Mormon, Greek Orthodox and many other faiths (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/01/19/praying-at-the-inaugural-service-an-imam-a-rabbi-a-hindu-priest-and-an-abundance-of-pastors/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.29a9ace93ead). (Sadly, people don’t understand the seriousness of such events in that they are leading to the one world religion. Many just hear her pray in the name of Jesus and think, oh, isn’t that lovely? People think we’re a Christian nation because she and others pray in the name of Jesus, but which Jesus, we always ask. And, what this really shows is we are a religiously pluralistic nation, not a Christian one, as we have said many times in these discussions).
Next, Matt Crouch talked with Michele Bachman. She is a former member of the United States House of Representatives and a candidate for the Republican nomination in the 2012 U.S. presidential election (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michele_Bachmann). She said, “What’s amazing is that we are here on this day, a day that the prophets foretold thousands of years ago…We are privileged to be the people to the see fulfillment of what Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Zechariah, Hosea, Joel foretold. Numerous prophets, what they foretold, we are seeing. And, to think that today is the 70th birthday of the creation of the Jewish state…What we are seeing is, I think, the beginning of Israel’s strength. This is the golden time of Israel’s history. Today, the present. These are the greatest days of Israel. (But, I just want to know how these people read these books of the Bible concerning Jesus’ return to rule and reign, destruction of His enemies, and regathering of Israel to their land, and believe these prophecies have been fulfilled. You know, it’s not just the regathering; these people have lifted that part out of scripture, but they are also ignoring what Christ will do for Israel after He defeats her enemies at His return. For just one set of scriptures we have Zechariah 2:10-12, “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD. And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee. And the LORD shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again.” So, obviously Jesus hasn’t returned and there has been no recognition of Him as the one they had pierced in Zech. 12:10, as you already quoted, sister Tammy, in part one of the discussion.
And, obviously occurring before Christ’s return, they also have completely skipped the Great Tribulation. How convenient for their belief system, but how utterly foolish in the long run. And, then, several people mentioned that the opening of the embassy occurred 70 years to the day of the beginning of Israel like it was a miracle or something, but Trump or someone chose this day for the opening. Someone decided they wanted it to be on the 70th anniversary).
Concerning Bachmann, in 2015 she had told the Washington Watch the following: "We recognize the shortness of the hour and that's why we as a remnant want to be faithful in these days and do what it is that the Holy Spirit is speaking to each one of us, to be faithful in the Kingdom and to help bring in as many as we can — even among the Jews — share Jesus Christ with everyone that we possibly can because, again, He's coming soon." But then, speaking at a Knesset interfaith Bible study in Jerusalem the day before the embassy ceremony, she made an emotional speech, apologizing for her past "ignorant" comments about the Jewish people. She said, "Personally, I know that in ignorance… myself, I have stated things that I should not have said and I profoundly apologize and repent and ask forgiveness from Almighty God for my statements that, though said in ignorance, have brought pain." She also asked forgiveness for the "horrible and, yes, the arrogant way that Christians — including herself— have treated and regarded the Jewish people" throughout history (http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/israel/2018/may/michele-bachman-apologizes-for-2015-remarks-on-converting-jews-to-christianity). (While the Jews have been treated horribly throughout history, and while we should repent if we have said anything out of order, we can only repent for what we individually say; we cannot repent for what others say. But, encouraging people to share the gospel with the Jews because they need to hear it is the truth and no one needs to apologize for having said that). And, concerning the Knesset interfaith Bible study class for Christians and Jews, also in attendance was Jim Garlow, the Senior Pastor of Skyline Church located in La Mesa, California, and member of Pres. Trump’s evangelical advisory board, and he stressed that the purpose of the interreligious Bible classes was not for Christians to teach Jews, but rather for them to learn from Jews (https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-michele-bachmann-apologizes-for-2015-remarks-about-converting-jews-1.6077894). (And, how sad is that?)
Matt Crouch also interviewed the mayor of Jerusalem the day before the ceremony (about 12:24 left) and he said that there was chaos under the previous United States administration concerning Israel and other countries in the Middle East. He went on to say: “When Pres. Trump came and first recognized the connectivity – the connection between the Jewish people and Jerusalem; between Israel and Jerusalem – there’s a very powerful statement of ethics and values and truth. By moving the embassy Pres. Trump aligned with the interests of Israel…Those two statements – moving the embassy and recognizing Jerusalem, and being very aggressive and clear against the bad guys – being good with the good guys and bad with the bad guys - creates new world order especially in the Middle East. And, people will have to decide if they seek peace, they must seek cooperation with peace-seeking countries in our region. And, if they mean evil they’re going to be confronted by the United States and Israel…But, tomorrow the actual occasion, symbolizes that move from chaos to new world order especially in the Middle East. (Well, sister Tammy, we have discussed many times that the groundwork is being laid for the new world and it is, of course, quite interesting when someone comes right out and uses the phrase ‘new world order.’ And, we know that the ones they consider to be speaking peace will be the ones who tolerate all religions and not the ones who would preach the true gospel).
Then, the last thing I want to mention from the TBN video is a prayer Robert Jeffress prayed at the end. He said we look forward to the return of the Prince of Peace, the Lord Jesus Christ. Then, he said, “We pray there would be a great revival in Israel and a great revival in the United States.” (So, this is how many are being deceived. They hear some truth and then just accept the error that goes right along with it. As we have discussed many times in these discussions no such revival is mentioned for this time, but rather a great falling away is prophesied. And, as with many others who spoke, there is a mention of the Messiah, but nothing about the Tribulation or the appearance of the anti-christ; nothing about all the worldwide upheaval that will take place. As I discussed earlier I know many are preterists and they believe all the end time events mentioned in Revelation already took place in 70 AD, but this typically is not a belief held by evangelicals, so this is all quite odd)
Now, I want to mention a post on Gabriel Swaggart’s facebook page as an example of the support for this move by many evangelicals. The post said, “God has promised us in His Word to bless those who bless Israel. Today is an historic day as the United States moves our embassy to its rightful place in Jerusalem. God bless Israel. God bless the United States. God bless @realdonaldtrump. 5-14-18 (https://www.facebook.com/gabeswaggart/photos/a.382817918433335.80993.120638904651239/1724437574271356/?type=3&theater) (You know, there were many statements of God bless Israel and God bless America in the speeches at the ceremony. But, I don’t understand how a true believer can possibly think God is blessing either nation with their liberal abortion laws, and their practice of religious pluralism, just for starters. And, then, so many would take scriptures out of their original context in the Bible and that is what is happening with a particular verse quoted nearly every time the United States’ relationship with Israel is discussed. At a specific point in the history of the nation of Israel the spirit of God came upon the prophet Balaam and he spoke these words as recorded in Num. 24:9 “He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.” (However, we must ask if this was meant to be an unrestricted, everlasting promise to Israel’s descendants. We would have to answer no to this question because Mal. 2:2 clearly states that God Himself actually cursed Israel. This verse says, “If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.” And, then it is terribly sad for someone to say God bless Donald Trump, rather than praying for him to hear the gospel because as we have clearly presented, he doesn’t truly know Jesus).
And, I just found this item in the news a couple of days ago. A Jewish-Christian political party will be on the ballot for the first time in Israel's next general election after the registrar recently approved the party. Dennis Avi Lipkin founded the BibleBloc Party, which he says has been in the making for years. "Our goal is to promote the Jewish-Christian alliance and togetherness," Lipkin told The Jerusalem Post.
Then, the article made reference to moving the embassy and quoted retired Army Lt. Gen. Jerry Boykin concerning his thoughts on the move: "We're finally doing what we said we were going to do a quarter of a century ago and that is to move our embassy to Jerusalem. And then on another level is, I think America is coming into alignment with Biblical truth. I mean this is, it doesn't matter what the United States says—this is the capital, Jerusalem. It was bought and paid for. David declared it to be the capital of Israel, and so I think we're just coming into line and alignment with Biblical truth." (Well, after hearing all we’ve presented in this discussion I hope the listeners would realize that an alliance of any kind between Jews and Christians would not be pleasing to God. And, then, this statement by Jerry Boykin saying we are coming into alignment with Biblical truth? We do know the promises in God’s Word about Israel, but coming into alignment with Biblical truth does not mean joining in ecumenical endeavors at all!) (http://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display_art.html?ID=24623)
And, concerning Jerry Boykin, he is Grand Chancellor of the Vatican's "Knights of Malta", an ecumenical society under the leadership of Rome where Catholics, Protestants and a plethora of others unite in what is not a unity of the Faith (http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/boykin.html).
(Sister Tammy, you and I both have given plenty of reasons why Christians should not stand with Jews in any ecumenical endeavors. We should rather pray that Jews will hear the gospel and repent. We know God has a plan and we look to Him to fulfill it. To close this discussion out I want to give some information concerning the beliefs of some of the past leaders of Israel).
Even the leaders of the Zionist movement that ushered in the modern state of Israel were, for the most part, “secular, non-observant, Jews, and many were even anti-religious” (Price, The Battle for the Last Days Temple, p. 250).
Theodor Herzl, the father of the Zionist movement, was not motivated by religion but by nationalism (New World Encyclopedia). He stated in his diary that he was “agnostic.”
In the official proclamation of the modern state of Israel in May 1948, there was no mention of “God”--only a vague reference to the “Rock of Israel” as I already noted. This was because many of those who founded the state were staunchly opposed to any reference to God. For example, Aaron Zisling of the Labor Party said, “I cannot sign a document referring in any way to a God in whom I do not believe” (cited from My Life, Golda Meir, p. 223). The word “Redeemer” was left out of the announcement for the same reason.
I just want to insert a bit of information from the New York Times from May of 1948. There was a New York Times article entitled “Israel Declares Independence” and here are a couple of sentences from it: On May 14, 1948, the independent state of Israel was proclaimed as British rule in Palestine came to an end. The armies of Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria invaded almost immediately after the May 14 declaration of nationhood and the withdrawal of British troops, sparking the Arab-Israeli War (https://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/14/may-14-1948-israel-declares-independence/)
Then, the headlines of the NY Times the next day read, “Zionists Proclaim New State of Israel; Truman Recognizes it and Hopes for Peace; Tel Aviv is Bombed; Egypt Orders Invasion” https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/0514.html?scp=1&sq=zionism%2520truman&st=cse (But, we know that when Jesus returns He destroys Israel’s enemies and they don’t have to fight for themselves).
And, then back to the article concerning the beliefs of some of the leaders of Israel: Many of Israel’s most revered leaders and war heroes since 1948 were “secular Jews.”
This includes Israel’s first prime minister, David ben Gurion. His vision was “of a new type of Jew, ‘emancipated from religion,’ whose Judaism would be expressed by a national framework” (Motti Friedman, “The Making of the State,” The Jewish Agency for Israel, July 1998).
Golda Meir, one of the greatest of modern Israel’s heroes, said, “I wasn’t at all pious” (My Life, p. 104). Her autobiography gives no glory to God for the restoration of Israel and no faith that God’s promises to Israel will be fulfilled. Her “vision of our future” was merely that Israel “remains a flourishing democracy and a society resting on social justice and equality” (My Life, p. 460). She was a feminist who basically abandoned her husband to pursue her socialistic dream of nation building.
Moshe Dayan, prominent Israeli leader (Minister of Defense, Minister of Agriculture, Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defense Forces), was a “secular Jew” whose faith in God was vague to non-existent. He gave God no glory in his autobiography, ending it with the following purely humanistic sentiments: “But our foremost duty is to live up to the vision of ourselves, to fashion a pioneering state, a creative society that flourishes from the fruits of its own labor, a courageous state prepared to fight to the death to defend itself, a people of ideas and ideals striving to achieve their national and historic purpose--the revival of the Jewish nation in its homeland” (Moshe Dayan: Story of My Life, 1976, p. 621).
Benjamin Netanyahu became Israel’s Prime Minister in 2009, the first Prime Minister to have been born in Israel since it became a state. In A Place Among the Nations: Israel and the World (1993), Netanyahu doesn’t mention God or His laws and covenants. For Israel’s military victories he gives glory to the military rather than to God (pp. 274, 371, 397). He says that Bible prophecy does not tell us what to expect for the future (p. 372). He attributes the modern rise of the Jewish state to “a human spirit that refuses again and again to succumb to history’s horrors” (p. 401).
As for the truly religious Jews, they are walking in the footsteps of the Pharisees of old who professed to honor the Holy Scripture but actually exalted Jewish tradition above God’s Word.
And the greatest evidence that Israel remains in the condition of spiritual death is the fact that she persists in rejecting her own Messiah, Jesus, as we have clearly explained. https://www.wayoflife.org/reports/Israels_Current_Spritual_Blindness.html
(Well, sister Tammy, that is all I have for today except for this: Any of those working with Jews like they are brethren need to understand the following verses, and many others, prevent us from doing so. 2 John 9-11 “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” And, how many people said God bless Israel in their comments and speeches? This is not of God and I just pray people will truly seek the Lord concerning all we have said and absolutely get their eyes off man).
And, to close, sister Tammy speaks concerning the heresy of replacement theology.
READING TIME: 32 MINUTES
The following are the notes to part two of the discussion found at this link (https://www.facebook.com/tammy.cheetham.77/videos/393928891106825/?id=100014819433180) for anyone who would like to study the subject more in depth.
As we said at the end of part one we will begin part two by discussing the speech made by Jared Kushner at this event, and he makes so many statements that need to be discussed, I will read a bit and then comment and continue in that pattern: (45:51 left in the TBN video: https://www.facebook.com/TBN/videos/1703072146395974/) (His full remarks are at this link: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaIt8Tchqqc).
“The United States stands with Israel because we both believe in freedom. We stand together because we both believe in human rights. We stand together because we believe democracy is worth defending. And, the United States stands with Israel because we believe, we know, that it is the right thing to do. When we stand together for the principles and values we share, we shine a light of justice unto the world. Israel proves every day the boundless power of freedom. Israel is the only land in the Middle East in which Jews, Muslims and Christians and people of all faiths participate and worship freely according to their beliefs. Israel protects women’s rights, freedom of speech, and the right of every individual to reach their God-given potential. These are the same values that the United States cherishes. These are the values that bind us together. (Well, since Jared Kushner kept mentioning the shared values and principles which both the United States and Israel hold I thought it would be helpful to mention the following information from an article in Political Quarterly: “Israel’s Proclamation of Independence makes few concessions to the Almighty. The word ‘God’ does not appear, though there is a passing reference to trusting in the ‘Rock of Israel’. Israel, it decrees, will be a Jewish state, but the concept is nowhere defined. The state, it says, ‘will be based on the principles of liberty, justice and peace as conceived by the Prophets of Israel; will uphold the full social and political equality of all its citizens, without distinction of religion, race, or sex; will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, education and culture; will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions; and will loyally uphold the principles of the United Nations Charter’. Every student of modern Israel should reread the proclamation of May 14, 1948, at least once a year. It is a reminder of the secular vision of the founding fathers. Israel was to be a modern democratic state, an expression of Jewish nationalism rather than Jewish faith (https://www.thoughtco.com/israel-a-religious-or-a-secular-state-3975207). (And, then, I thought it would be pertinent to make a few comparisons between these statements I just read and America’s founding documents). We read that the word ‘God’ does not appear in Israel’s Proclamation of Independence and we know neither does ‘God’ appear in the US constitution. There are four references to a generic ‘God’ in the United States Declaration of Independence and they are as follows: “divine Providence,” “Nature’s God,” “Creator,” and “Supreme Judge.” Well, adherents of any religious sect can read these words and apply them to the god they worship because they would have a creator god, and so forth. Then, the state of Israel is to be based on the principles of liberty, justice and peace. We know that the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America ends with the phrase ‘with liberty and justice for all.’ The state of Israel guarantees freedom of religion as does the 1st amendment of the Bill of Rights for the United States. And, just as Israel was to be a modern democratic state, an expression of Jewish nationalism rather than Jewish faith, so was this nation to be an expression of American nationalism rather than Christian faith. Besides the statements I have just made we also read that the Treaty of Tripoli stated that the United States was not founded on Christianity. Article 11 says the following: “As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion…” President John Adams signed this treaty and it was ratified by the United States Senate without debate unanimously in 1797 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Tripoli). (In addition, the concept of freedom of religion actually resists the idea of only one God. The founding fathers of this country created a nation where people can worship "any" God and this breaks the first commandment because not having any other gods before God would include not having any alongside Him, either. So, what we have is two nations sharing a bond of adherence to religious pluralism; both nations would claim to respect and obey the God of the universe, but they don’t even know Him; and, both are committing absolute idolatry. Thus, we would say that the shared values and principles spoken of by Jared Kushner do not please God at all. God is not impressed by freedoms established by man because our liberty is in Christ; neither is He impressed by democracy and He is abhorred by the worship of other gods).
Continuing with Jared Kushner’s speech: “In confronting common threats and in pursuit of common interests, previously unimaginable opportunities and alliances are emerging. I am also proud to be here today as a member of the team that Pres. Trump has entrusted to lead the efforts to bring peace between Israelis and Palestinians…” (Well, I hope people truly listen closely to the language we hear so much today that points to a one world government. When we hear the word common we should sit up and take notice and also when we hear phrases such as “previously unimaginable opportunities and alliances are emerging.)
Jared Kushner went on to say: “On Dec. 6 Pres. Trump was very clear that his decision and today’s celebration do not reflect a departure from our strong commitment to lasting peace; a peace that overcomes the conflicts of the past in order to give our children a brighter and more boundless future. As we have seen from the last month and even today, those provoking violence are part of the problem and the solution. The United States is prepared to support a peace agreement in every way that we can. We believe that it is possible for both sides to gain more than they give so that all people can live in peace, safe from danger, free from fear, and able to pursue their dreams…Jerusalem is a city unique in the history of civilization. No other place on earth can claim significance to three major religions: each day Jews pray at the Western Wall; Muslims bow in prayer at Al Aqsa Mosque; Christians worship at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. (Again, all people will never live in peace without Jesus Christ ruling and reigning on this earth. And, there certainly won’t be any worship of false gods at that time. Also, every time I hear the word Christian anymore I double-check to make sure they aren’t actually talking about Catholics, and I researched the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and sure enough, this is what I found on Wikipedia:
“This is a church in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. The church contains, according to traditions dating back to at least the fourth century, the two holiest sites in Christianity: the site where Jesus of Nazareth was crucified, at a place known as "Calvary" or "Golgotha", and Jesus's empty tomb, where he is said to have been buried and resurrected. The main denominations sharing property over parts of the church are the Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic and Roman Catholic, and to a lesser degree the Coptic Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox and Ethiopian Tewahedo. Meanwhile, Protestants, including Anglicans, have no permanent presence in the Church. Some Protestants prefer The Garden Tomb, elsewhere in Jerusalem, as a more evocative site to commemorate Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_the_Holy_Sepulchre).
And, continuing with Jared Kushner’s speech: “That is why Pres. Trump has called many times, including right now, on all parties to maintain the status quo at Jerusalem’s holy sites, including the temple mount, also known as Haram esh-Sharif. While the challenges to peace are numerous, I have personally seen that the determination of the leaders in the region and throughout the world remains steadfast. They have seen too much pain, sorrow, and wasted opportunity, and they think it is time to try something better…Jerusalem must remain a city that brings people of all faiths together to visit, to worship, to respect each other, to appreciate the majesty of history and the glory of God’s creation. Israel’s been a responsible custodian of Jerusalem and has kept these religious sites open to all. In fact, immediately after the 1967 war, one of the first acts of the Knesset was to adopt the “Protection of Holy Places” law, insuring access to places of worship to members of all religions. As Israel turns 70, the search for a lasting peace turns over a new leaf: one of realism and of not being afraid to stand strongly with our allies for what is good, for what is right, and for what is true. When there is peace in this region, we will look back upon this day and remember that the journey to peace started with a strong America recognizing the truth. The pursuit of peace is the noblest pursuit of human-kind. I believe peace is within reach if we dare to believe that the future can be different from the past. That we are not condemned to relive history, and that the way things were is not how they must forever be…In my office in the White House, I keep a photo (his grandparents fled Nazi Germany) to remind me how high the stakes are when nations fail to recognize right from wrong and the decisive power America has to tip the scales in favor of the righteous. Today we take another historic step in that direction. I am confident that as a result our nations will be stronger, our peoples more prosperous, and our futures filled with even greater promise for peace. May God bless you. May God bless Israel. May God bless the United States of America.” (So, Jared Kushner says Jerusalem must remain a city that brings people of all faiths together to worship, that Israel has kept these religious sites open to all, and that one of the first acts of the Knesset was to adopt the “Protection of Holy Places” law, insuring access to places of worship to members of all religions. I truly hope people are noticing that Jerusalem, whether anyone there knows it or not, is preparing to be the headquarters of the one world religion. You know, it isn’t just coincidence that they want to bring people of all faiths together to worship. And, then, Kushner speaks of a future filled with an even greater promise of peace. But, yet again, as a Jew, Jared Kushner is not looking for the return of the Prince of Peace, but rather for the appearance of their mashiach).
And, then, the next person who spoke that we want to mention is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: “My friends, what a glorious day! Remember this moment! This is history. President Trump by recognizing history, you have made history…My friends, this is a great day for Israel. It's a great day for America. It's a great day for our fantastic partnership...but I believe it's also a great day for peace…Truth and peace are interconnected. A peace that is based on lies will crash on the rocks of Middle Eastern realities…And the truth is that Jerusalem has always been, and will always be, the capital of the Jewish people, the capital of the Jewish state. Then, the Prime Minister quoted Zech. 8:3 which says, ‘Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain.’ May the opening of this embassy in this city spread the truth far and wide and may the truth advance a lasting peace between Israel and all our neighbors. (But, as you often say, sister Tammy, they have the wrong time period when they quote these verses. This verse is for the Millennium, not now. They don’t know this verse is about Jesus we know as Lord and Saviour, but one day Jews will).
Then, John Hagee gave the closing benediction (about 31:26 left). “It was You, O Lord, who gathered the exiles from the nations, and brought them home again. It was You who made statehood possible. (You know, sister Tammy, several people mentioned the gathering or regathering of Israel in their comments and speeches. I wonder how many people have just assumed that the regathering of Jews from around the world, and their 1948 statehood, is the fulfillment of God’s promises regarding the regathering of Israel in the last days. But, we should ask how this could be so since the horrendous time of Jacob’s trouble hasn’t occurred yet. God’s Word doesn’t predict a regathering, repentance, acknowledgement of Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, and incredible restoration and THEN a time of trouble as never has been seen, but obviously these events occur the other way around. Additionally, there are many scriptures we could mention, but let’s look at Amos 9:14-15. Some would say these have been fulfilled since the nation of Israel has truly blossomed since 1948 and they view Israel’s accomplishments as matching these scriptures which read: “And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord thy God.” However, part of Zech. 14:2 says, “For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity.” Well, how can the inhabitants of Israel supposedly be planted, never to be pulled up out of their land, while at the same time half of Jerusalem, Israel’s most important city, is taken into captivity? Now, I do realize that many are preterists and believe any reference to captivity or destruction concerning Israel describes events which occurred in 70 AD. They also believe the events described in Revelation concerning the great tribulation already occurred in that year. But, I want to read Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:21-22: “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.” If we believe Jesus’s words here, as we most definitely should, we cannot accept that He was describing the siege and destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Now, that was a horrific event, no doubt about it, and hundreds of thousands perished, but it was not the worst the world has seen. And, as far as being the worst holocaust ever experienced by the Jews, it most certainly didn’t even come close).
(Now, we realize God permitted that which occurred in Israel in 1948. God has either orchestrated or permitted everything that has happened in history, obviously. Since His Word predicts a coming great tribulation which will be Israel-centric, if you will, there must be a nation of Israel in existence during this time. And, we know it is Israel-centric because of the following for example: First of all, Jesus gave the Olivet Discourse as recorded in Matthew 24 and 25 while overlooking Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. Jesus spoke of the abomination of desolation in the holy place and He told those in Judea to flee into the mountains, and so forth. Secondly, in 2 Thes. 2:4 we read of that man of sin, the son of perdition who sits in the temple of God. Since the antichrist exalts himself as God, and since there never has been a temple of the one true God anywhere besides Jerusalem, people will be deceived into thinking he is God. So, God has allowed this nation of Israel to come into being to allow prophecy to be fulfilled, but we have not yet seen the promised regathering of Israel in the last days and we do not blindly support everything she does now. We especially do not support anything coming in the name of peace that is orchestrated by ungodly men. And, even more so, we do not support anything which tolerates false worship and essentially sets up idols to man- made gods. Have people completely forgotten that the nations of Israel in 722 BC, and Judah in 587 BC, were both taken into captivity due to idolatry? You know, the easiest way to explain we have NOT witnessed the fulfillment of God’s promises regarding the regathering of Israel in the last days is that Ezek. 11:16-20 has NOT come to pass. I want to read and focus specifically on verses 18 and 20 which say: “And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence. That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.” And, we see a similar prophecy in Ezekiel 36:25-28, “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.” You know, we have not seen national repentance including the cessation of worship of false gods. Israel has allowed abortions since 1977 just for one example of abominations. And, they have not called upon Jesus as Saviour so even if Jews mention God, they are not speaking of the one true God as we have clearly demonstrated by scripture. We know we can only come into relationship with God after being redeemed by the blood of Jesus).
Continuing with Hagee’s prayer: “It was You that gave a miraculous victory in 1967 when Jerusalem was re-opened to worshippers of all faiths…Jerusalem is where Messiah will come and establish a Kingdom that will never end… (But, when we think about the fact that God sent Israel and Judah into captivity for idolatry, do we really think God would have given the modern state of Israel a victory which made it possible for Jerusalem to be re-opened to worshippers of all faiths?) And, one more sentence by him was, “Jerusalem is where Messiah will come and establish a Kingdom that will never end. (So, we have John Hagee making a reference to the Messiah, just as Robert Jeffress did, but they are speaking of Jesus Christ when they say Messiah, and the Jews in attendance at this celebration do not believe Jesus Christ is their mashiach as we have discussed). And, then, we should mention a few things about John Hagee to demonstrate he is not to be followed. He is the founder and Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, TX. This is a nondenominational, evangelical church. Hagee is also the founder of Christians United for Israel which is the largest pro-Israel organization in the United States (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christians_United_for_Israel). In an article in the Houston Chronicle from 1988 Hagee is quoted as saying, “I believe that every Jewish person who lives in the light of the Torah, which is the word of God, has a relationship with God and will come to redemption… In fact, trying to convert Jews is a waste of time. The Jewish person who has his roots in Judaism is not going to convert to Christianity. There is no form of Christian evangelism that has failed so miserably as evangelizing the Jewish people. They (already) have a faith structure. Everyone else, whether Buddhist or Baha’i, needs to believe in Jesus,” he says. “But not Jews. Jews already have a covenant with God that has never been replaced by Christianity.” (“San Antonio Fundamentalist Battles Anti-Semitism,” Houston Chronicle, April 30, 1988, sec. 6, pg. 1)
Now, over the years there have been reports where he says if Jews come to his church they will hear a clear presentation of the gospel, but it sounds like he is speaking out of both sides of his mouth. I am going to include a link to an article which includes additional information and the listeners can study this more if they so choose (http://www.apologeticsindex.org/357-john-hagee-salvation).
We do know Hagee has been a major proponent of the embassy move. In a recent interview with conservative news site Breitbart, he revealed that he told Pres. Trump he would win "political immortality" for moving the embassy from Tel Aviv. "I told him that the moment that you do that, I believe that you will step into political immortality," the news site quoted Hagee as saying. "Because you are having the courage to do what other presidents did not have the courage to do" (https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/13/politics/hagee-jeffress-us-embassy-jerusalem/index.html). (I found that very interesting because we have seen the pride Pres. Trump has exhibited and one could almost think he made the decision to move the embassy so he could achieve this “political immortality”).
Another concern about John Hagee is his promotion of the Four Blood Moons deception in 2014 and 2015. (You know, I just don’t understand why people continue to follow those who write books and promote these ideas. When nothing happens no one calls them on the carpet for their lies and they are free to continue deceiving people) (http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/insideisrael/2014/february/divine-sign-for-israel-hagee-explains-blood-moons).
Then, after Hagee’s benediction, Matt Crouch, the head of TBN, spoke to some guests who attended. Cissy Graham Lynch, Billy Graham’s granddaughter, said this: “I don’t know if I’ve quite processed what we’ve witnessed today. It was unbelievable and I’ll never forget what the prime minister said: ‘To have peace you have to build it on truth.’ And, that is so true that we build our foundation on God’s Word and God’s Word alone. And, that’s just kind of like the foundation of what we saw today. And, it was just beautiful to witness history. (So, we have Cissy Graham Lynch saying we build our foundation on God’s Word and God’s Word alone, but she seems to have completely forgotten the instructions in God’s Word to remain separate in 1 Cor. 6:14, for example, which says, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?”) Besides attending this ecumenical ceremony, she prayed at the National Day of Prayer event on May 3 held in the Rose Garden at which Hindu priest Narayanachar Digalakote said this, “All of us are divine. I bow to the divinity in all of you” (http://fox59.com/2018/05/03/trump-to-sign-executive-order-creating-faith-based-initiative-during-national-day-of-prayer-event/).
In addition, she prayed at the presidential inaugural prayer service held at the Washington National Cathedral (https://billygraham.org/video/cissie-graham-lynch-prays-presidential-inaugural-prayer-service/). The National Prayer Service, an inaugural tradition that has come to include clergy from many religions, in 2017 featured representatives of the Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, Baha’i, Navajo, Mormon, Greek Orthodox and many other faiths (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/01/19/praying-at-the-inaugural-service-an-imam-a-rabbi-a-hindu-priest-and-an-abundance-of-pastors/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.29a9ace93ead). (Sadly, people don’t understand the seriousness of such events in that they are leading to the one world religion. Many just hear her pray in the name of Jesus and think, oh, isn’t that lovely? People think we’re a Christian nation because she and others pray in the name of Jesus, but which Jesus, we always ask. And, what this really shows is we are a religiously pluralistic nation, not a Christian one, as we have said many times in these discussions).
Next, Matt Crouch talked with Michele Bachman. She is a former member of the United States House of Representatives and a candidate for the Republican nomination in the 2012 U.S. presidential election (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michele_Bachmann). She said, “What’s amazing is that we are here on this day, a day that the prophets foretold thousands of years ago…We are privileged to be the people to the see fulfillment of what Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Zechariah, Hosea, Joel foretold. Numerous prophets, what they foretold, we are seeing. And, to think that today is the 70th birthday of the creation of the Jewish state…What we are seeing is, I think, the beginning of Israel’s strength. This is the golden time of Israel’s history. Today, the present. These are the greatest days of Israel. (But, I just want to know how these people read these books of the Bible concerning Jesus’ return to rule and reign, destruction of His enemies, and regathering of Israel to their land, and believe these prophecies have been fulfilled. You know, it’s not just the regathering; these people have lifted that part out of scripture, but they are also ignoring what Christ will do for Israel after He defeats her enemies at His return. For just one set of scriptures we have Zechariah 2:10-12, “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD. And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee. And the LORD shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again.” So, obviously Jesus hasn’t returned and there has been no recognition of Him as the one they had pierced in Zech. 12:10, as you already quoted, sister Tammy, in part one of the discussion.
And, obviously occurring before Christ’s return, they also have completely skipped the Great Tribulation. How convenient for their belief system, but how utterly foolish in the long run. And, then, several people mentioned that the opening of the embassy occurred 70 years to the day of the beginning of Israel like it was a miracle or something, but Trump or someone chose this day for the opening. Someone decided they wanted it to be on the 70th anniversary).
Concerning Bachmann, in 2015 she had told the Washington Watch the following: "We recognize the shortness of the hour and that's why we as a remnant want to be faithful in these days and do what it is that the Holy Spirit is speaking to each one of us, to be faithful in the Kingdom and to help bring in as many as we can — even among the Jews — share Jesus Christ with everyone that we possibly can because, again, He's coming soon." But then, speaking at a Knesset interfaith Bible study in Jerusalem the day before the embassy ceremony, she made an emotional speech, apologizing for her past "ignorant" comments about the Jewish people. She said, "Personally, I know that in ignorance… myself, I have stated things that I should not have said and I profoundly apologize and repent and ask forgiveness from Almighty God for my statements that, though said in ignorance, have brought pain." She also asked forgiveness for the "horrible and, yes, the arrogant way that Christians — including herself— have treated and regarded the Jewish people" throughout history (http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/israel/2018/may/michele-bachman-apologizes-for-2015-remarks-on-converting-jews-to-christianity). (While the Jews have been treated horribly throughout history, and while we should repent if we have said anything out of order, we can only repent for what we individually say; we cannot repent for what others say. But, encouraging people to share the gospel with the Jews because they need to hear it is the truth and no one needs to apologize for having said that). And, concerning the Knesset interfaith Bible study class for Christians and Jews, also in attendance was Jim Garlow, the Senior Pastor of Skyline Church located in La Mesa, California, and member of Pres. Trump’s evangelical advisory board, and he stressed that the purpose of the interreligious Bible classes was not for Christians to teach Jews, but rather for them to learn from Jews (https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-michele-bachmann-apologizes-for-2015-remarks-about-converting-jews-1.6077894). (And, how sad is that?)
Matt Crouch also interviewed the mayor of Jerusalem the day before the ceremony (about 12:24 left) and he said that there was chaos under the previous United States administration concerning Israel and other countries in the Middle East. He went on to say: “When Pres. Trump came and first recognized the connectivity – the connection between the Jewish people and Jerusalem; between Israel and Jerusalem – there’s a very powerful statement of ethics and values and truth. By moving the embassy Pres. Trump aligned with the interests of Israel…Those two statements – moving the embassy and recognizing Jerusalem, and being very aggressive and clear against the bad guys – being good with the good guys and bad with the bad guys - creates new world order especially in the Middle East. And, people will have to decide if they seek peace, they must seek cooperation with peace-seeking countries in our region. And, if they mean evil they’re going to be confronted by the United States and Israel…But, tomorrow the actual occasion, symbolizes that move from chaos to new world order especially in the Middle East. (Well, sister Tammy, we have discussed many times that the groundwork is being laid for the new world and it is, of course, quite interesting when someone comes right out and uses the phrase ‘new world order.’ And, we know that the ones they consider to be speaking peace will be the ones who tolerate all religions and not the ones who would preach the true gospel).
Then, the last thing I want to mention from the TBN video is a prayer Robert Jeffress prayed at the end. He said we look forward to the return of the Prince of Peace, the Lord Jesus Christ. Then, he said, “We pray there would be a great revival in Israel and a great revival in the United States.” (So, this is how many are being deceived. They hear some truth and then just accept the error that goes right along with it. As we have discussed many times in these discussions no such revival is mentioned for this time, but rather a great falling away is prophesied. And, as with many others who spoke, there is a mention of the Messiah, but nothing about the Tribulation or the appearance of the anti-christ; nothing about all the worldwide upheaval that will take place. As I discussed earlier I know many are preterists and they believe all the end time events mentioned in Revelation already took place in 70 AD, but this typically is not a belief held by evangelicals, so this is all quite odd)
Now, I want to mention a post on Gabriel Swaggart’s facebook page as an example of the support for this move by many evangelicals. The post said, “God has promised us in His Word to bless those who bless Israel. Today is an historic day as the United States moves our embassy to its rightful place in Jerusalem. God bless Israel. God bless the United States. God bless @realdonaldtrump. 5-14-18 (https://www.facebook.com/gabeswaggart/photos/a.382817918433335.80993.120638904651239/1724437574271356/?type=3&theater) (You know, there were many statements of God bless Israel and God bless America in the speeches at the ceremony. But, I don’t understand how a true believer can possibly think God is blessing either nation with their liberal abortion laws, and their practice of religious pluralism, just for starters. And, then, so many would take scriptures out of their original context in the Bible and that is what is happening with a particular verse quoted nearly every time the United States’ relationship with Israel is discussed. At a specific point in the history of the nation of Israel the spirit of God came upon the prophet Balaam and he spoke these words as recorded in Num. 24:9 “He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.” (However, we must ask if this was meant to be an unrestricted, everlasting promise to Israel’s descendants. We would have to answer no to this question because Mal. 2:2 clearly states that God Himself actually cursed Israel. This verse says, “If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.” And, then it is terribly sad for someone to say God bless Donald Trump, rather than praying for him to hear the gospel because as we have clearly presented, he doesn’t truly know Jesus).
And, I just found this item in the news a couple of days ago. A Jewish-Christian political party will be on the ballot for the first time in Israel's next general election after the registrar recently approved the party. Dennis Avi Lipkin founded the BibleBloc Party, which he says has been in the making for years. "Our goal is to promote the Jewish-Christian alliance and togetherness," Lipkin told The Jerusalem Post.
Then, the article made reference to moving the embassy and quoted retired Army Lt. Gen. Jerry Boykin concerning his thoughts on the move: "We're finally doing what we said we were going to do a quarter of a century ago and that is to move our embassy to Jerusalem. And then on another level is, I think America is coming into alignment with Biblical truth. I mean this is, it doesn't matter what the United States says—this is the capital, Jerusalem. It was bought and paid for. David declared it to be the capital of Israel, and so I think we're just coming into line and alignment with Biblical truth." (Well, after hearing all we’ve presented in this discussion I hope the listeners would realize that an alliance of any kind between Jews and Christians would not be pleasing to God. And, then, this statement by Jerry Boykin saying we are coming into alignment with Biblical truth? We do know the promises in God’s Word about Israel, but coming into alignment with Biblical truth does not mean joining in ecumenical endeavors at all!) (http://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display_art.html?ID=24623)
And, concerning Jerry Boykin, he is Grand Chancellor of the Vatican's "Knights of Malta", an ecumenical society under the leadership of Rome where Catholics, Protestants and a plethora of others unite in what is not a unity of the Faith (http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/boykin.html).
(Sister Tammy, you and I both have given plenty of reasons why Christians should not stand with Jews in any ecumenical endeavors. We should rather pray that Jews will hear the gospel and repent. We know God has a plan and we look to Him to fulfill it. To close this discussion out I want to give some information concerning the beliefs of some of the past leaders of Israel).
Even the leaders of the Zionist movement that ushered in the modern state of Israel were, for the most part, “secular, non-observant, Jews, and many were even anti-religious” (Price, The Battle for the Last Days Temple, p. 250).
Theodor Herzl, the father of the Zionist movement, was not motivated by religion but by nationalism (New World Encyclopedia). He stated in his diary that he was “agnostic.”
In the official proclamation of the modern state of Israel in May 1948, there was no mention of “God”--only a vague reference to the “Rock of Israel” as I already noted. This was because many of those who founded the state were staunchly opposed to any reference to God. For example, Aaron Zisling of the Labor Party said, “I cannot sign a document referring in any way to a God in whom I do not believe” (cited from My Life, Golda Meir, p. 223). The word “Redeemer” was left out of the announcement for the same reason.
I just want to insert a bit of information from the New York Times from May of 1948. There was a New York Times article entitled “Israel Declares Independence” and here are a couple of sentences from it: On May 14, 1948, the independent state of Israel was proclaimed as British rule in Palestine came to an end. The armies of Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria invaded almost immediately after the May 14 declaration of nationhood and the withdrawal of British troops, sparking the Arab-Israeli War (https://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/14/may-14-1948-israel-declares-independence/)
Then, the headlines of the NY Times the next day read, “Zionists Proclaim New State of Israel; Truman Recognizes it and Hopes for Peace; Tel Aviv is Bombed; Egypt Orders Invasion” https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/0514.html?scp=1&sq=zionism%2520truman&st=cse (But, we know that when Jesus returns He destroys Israel’s enemies and they don’t have to fight for themselves).
And, then back to the article concerning the beliefs of some of the leaders of Israel: Many of Israel’s most revered leaders and war heroes since 1948 were “secular Jews.”
This includes Israel’s first prime minister, David ben Gurion. His vision was “of a new type of Jew, ‘emancipated from religion,’ whose Judaism would be expressed by a national framework” (Motti Friedman, “The Making of the State,” The Jewish Agency for Israel, July 1998).
Golda Meir, one of the greatest of modern Israel’s heroes, said, “I wasn’t at all pious” (My Life, p. 104). Her autobiography gives no glory to God for the restoration of Israel and no faith that God’s promises to Israel will be fulfilled. Her “vision of our future” was merely that Israel “remains a flourishing democracy and a society resting on social justice and equality” (My Life, p. 460). She was a feminist who basically abandoned her husband to pursue her socialistic dream of nation building.
Moshe Dayan, prominent Israeli leader (Minister of Defense, Minister of Agriculture, Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defense Forces), was a “secular Jew” whose faith in God was vague to non-existent. He gave God no glory in his autobiography, ending it with the following purely humanistic sentiments: “But our foremost duty is to live up to the vision of ourselves, to fashion a pioneering state, a creative society that flourishes from the fruits of its own labor, a courageous state prepared to fight to the death to defend itself, a people of ideas and ideals striving to achieve their national and historic purpose--the revival of the Jewish nation in its homeland” (Moshe Dayan: Story of My Life, 1976, p. 621).
Benjamin Netanyahu became Israel’s Prime Minister in 2009, the first Prime Minister to have been born in Israel since it became a state. In A Place Among the Nations: Israel and the World (1993), Netanyahu doesn’t mention God or His laws and covenants. For Israel’s military victories he gives glory to the military rather than to God (pp. 274, 371, 397). He says that Bible prophecy does not tell us what to expect for the future (p. 372). He attributes the modern rise of the Jewish state to “a human spirit that refuses again and again to succumb to history’s horrors” (p. 401).
As for the truly religious Jews, they are walking in the footsteps of the Pharisees of old who professed to honor the Holy Scripture but actually exalted Jewish tradition above God’s Word.
And the greatest evidence that Israel remains in the condition of spiritual death is the fact that she persists in rejecting her own Messiah, Jesus, as we have clearly explained. https://www.wayoflife.org/reports/Israels_Current_Spritual_Blindness.html
(Well, sister Tammy, that is all I have for today except for this: Any of those working with Jews like they are brethren need to understand the following verses, and many others, prevent us from doing so. 2 John 9-11 “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” And, how many people said God bless Israel in their comments and speeches? This is not of God and I just pray people will truly seek the Lord concerning all we have said and absolutely get their eyes off man).
And, to close, sister Tammy speaks concerning the heresy of replacement theology.