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Israel's Prime Minister Resigns
A Corrupt Political System in Need of Change
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Wednesday, July 30, 2008
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www.bibleinthenews.com Audio & Print versions
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The announcement made today, Wednesday July 30th, that Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will resign in September, was hardly a surprise. There had been speculation about it for weeks as six corruption charges were being investigated against Olmert who one Israeli member of parliament described as "the worst leader in Israeli history."
Well; this is Paul Billington bringing you this week's edition of the Bible in the News, and if you are wondering what this news has to do with the Bible--carry on reading (or listening) and I will explain. There are those Christians who will tell you that Israel's politics are of no interest to them; political trends in Israel are of no concern to them. Well, that is because they do not understand what lies behind Israel's politics--namely the development of the nation in preparation for the establishment of the kingdom of God.Israel has been brought back to their ancient homeland for a purpose--and that purpose is to restore again the kingdom to Israel as we read in Acts 1:6 and chapter 3:21.
Now it is true that the nation has returned in unbelief, and that her leaders today are sunken in ungodliness and corruption--but there is a development taking place within the nation itself. A religious nucleus as it were, mostly found among West Bank settlers. Most Christian people who rely upon the mass-media for their information, and who have no first-hand personal knowledge of the situation, are blind as to this development, or as to what it means. They are also unaware of the Scripture prophecies that outline this inner-core development.
According to Isaiah 59:20 there are to be some who turn from transgression before the Redeemer comes. This indicates a return to the law or Torah. We find the same idea in Malachi 4:4 prior to the mission of Elijah--"Remember the Law of Moses my servant" says God through Malachi. And again in Deuteronomy 4:30-31 it is written:
"When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them."
Leviticus 26:40-42 is also relevant here.
Let me be clear on this point. We are not saying that a wholesale conversion is taking place in the Land today--but that a development is beginning to take place amongst some (a minority).
So what is happening today is that as these religious Jews seek the Lord their God, and want to obey his laws and commandments, they find the current circumstances in the nation an embarrassment and a cause of shame. This was pointed out recently by Yishai Fleisher of Arutz Sheva radio who we have interviewed on several occasions. In an article he wrote:
"...As a Jew living in Israel and taking part in the building of our country daily, I am even more concerned by the policies of my government and I am embarrassed by them."
Many of these religious Jews who seek to be "Torah observant" will tell you plainly that Israel needs the Moshiach--that only the Messiah can lead Israel in a right way.
The current corrupt leadership of Israel under Olmert and his Kadima party has only served to strengthen the view that Messiah is the only answer for Israel. A desperate and disillusioned Israeli public are ready to hear a new voice; they want a revolution--both a political as well as spiritual revolution.
This, of course, is how the angels work. They create circumstances which will move people in the desired direction. And so it is that we see a development taking place among some of the children of Israel. It is a development that most Christians--and indeed, many Jews--neither perceive nor understand. But for those who see these things indicated in the Scriptures of the Prophets, and who are aware of what is happening upon the mountains of Israel today, the signs are clear. We are approaching that time when the God of Heaven will again intervene in the affairs of men. "Elijah truly shall first come, and RESTORE ALL THINGS" said Jesus (Matt. 17:11). This restoration will involve his "turning the hearts" of many in the nation (Malachi 4:5-6).
But while speaking of that subject we need to issue a word of caution. There are some Christians today who do not think Elijah will have work to do in the Land before Armageddon. One problem with that is that he is to "restore all things"--and it is difficult to see how he can do that if he is not involved in work in the Land, "before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD." That is one view--but another suggestion being made by some is that Elijah is already at work in Israel--a Jew named Eliahu no less! That is absolute nonsense. The first people to know about it would be true Christians who will have been gathered with the raised saints, and of course the people in the Land who are to be the first objects of his work. As much as we would like to think Elijah was at work, we have to say that there just isn't any evidence for it. This is a subject that many like to speculate about, but we have to stay with the revealed Scripture and avoid fanciful flights of the imagination.
It is the Most High that rules in the Kingdom of Men, and he removes kings and sets up kings (or rulers). The corrupt rulership of Olmert is drawing to a close. One reason for his term has already been given--it has created a level of frustration in Israel which will eventually lead to a political earthquake or revolution. A reason for Olmert's removal now (or in the next few months) may well be to prevent the so-called "peace process" from speeding forward in a wrong direction. In all this we must see the work of the angels bringing about the right circumstances in preparation for the change in Israel's condition before the coming of the Messiah.
We will continue to watch these things God willing, so join us again next week for another edition: www.bibleinthenews.com
Printed: Wednesday, July 30, 2008
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