Posted on 09/14/2002 4:13:03 AM PDT by Seti 1
"If you're gonna play the game, boy, ya gotta learn to play it right. You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, Know when to walk away and know when to run."
Kenny Rogers' "The Gambler" has sold millions of copies since its 1978 release and spawned five made-for-TV movies. But the song's appeal is in its no-nonsense philosophy. When there is no way to win, it's time to walk away from the game.
The game is over for Israel. Let me explain.
In Tim LaHaye's pretribulational rapture novel, "The Remnant," the Jews are in for a hellacious future. Two-thirds of the Jews living in Israel will be slaughtered. LaHaye is not alone in holding this noxious position. John Hagee, a popular prophecy writer, states in a recent WorldNetDaily column:
Jerusalem today is a detonating device with no fail-safe system. It's a loaded pistol at an international poker dispute with all players demanding control. It's a driverless coach careening toward a blind curve – the collision of which will birth World War III. You see, there's nothing anyone can do about WWIII. According to Hagee, it's a prophetic inevitability. It's this fatalistic futuristic perspective that has kept the heads of Jews on the chopping block for 2,000 years since there's still one more holocaust that Jews will have to go through.
Even so, evangelicals are spending millions of dollars to help Jews return to Israel. In so doing, says the Rev. James M. Hutchens, president of Israel/USA, "we believe we are fulfilling a divine calling ... to assist the Jewish people in their physical return and restoration of the land of Israel." Like Hagee and LaHaye, Hutchens maintains that "There will be no peace until the Messiah comes."
The views of these men are alarming to some Jewish leaders, as they should be. Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, asks, "To what extent will a theological view that calls for Armageddon in the Middle East lead [evangelicals] to support policies that may move in that direction, rather than toward stability and peaceful coexistence?"
The most probable scenario is that prophetic futurists will sit back and do nothing as they see Israel go up in smoke. What can they do? The Bible predicts it. "There will be no peace until the Messiah comes."
Given this inevitable scenario, what should Jews do? Leave Israel. Under the New Covenant, your land is meaningless. It has no more theological importance than Rhode Island. Under LaHaye, Hagee, and Hutchen's prophetic model, odds are you'll be dead if you stay. If not you, then certainly someone in your family will die. But if you leave, the Muslims won't have a common enemy to unify them. Let them destroy one another. Remember, Iran's war with Iraq and Iraq's invasion of Kuwait? There is no unity among these Muslim nations with Israel gone.
Then what? Come to America! Maybe we can convince Congress and the President to carve out a parcel of land in one of our National Monuments for you to settle. America is the safest place on earth for you. Once the Muslims kill themselves off, if you still think your barren strip of land is important, then you can go back.
Take a lesson from Kenny. If you're gonna play the game, ya gotta learn to play it right. You got to know when to hold on to the land and when to run. It's time to run.
Yes, a lot of people are expecting some kind of new Hitler and he's not going to act like Hitler at all.
Quite all right. I'm battling the same thing here. Hope you caught it quick enough to prevent it from being really bad.
NOt sure about the malicious part but I agree with the first two. It is so stupid that it borders on being malicious but malicious to me implies some kind of bad motive/intent, which I am not picking up on. Just silly stupidity kind of like a Chicken little story.
I find it hard to believe that a piece of land is what this is all about.
Gods' Church covers all territories , none more important than the next.
I don't see anything about Israel that speaks of Peace , and I do believe that was Christ's message to us.
From my reading the Rothschild family got Israel placed where it is as part of a peace settlement after the Boar War. Rothschild controlled the nations central banks of Germany , France and England along with the other " money changers " that own America's federal reserve.
Through out history it appears that certain people have been given control over a nations people through the control their currency. The aristocrats have never given up control , only put a cushion between us and them.
I don't believe that Gods' people have to be forced on any region of this earth to achieve His goals. And I don't believe there have been any wars fought in Christ's name. When people say religion is the cause of wars , I simply ask them "Who did Christ ever ask us to kill ?"
Any wars fought in Christ's name have been lies. And I believe that is what we are facing in Israel.
Revelation 18,
15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
16 And saying, Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
The merchants were made rich by this great city. Merchants that sold all kinds of goods. They now cry because they do not have anyone to sell to. The City also had great wealth.
MCD
The merchants were made rich by this great city. Merchants that sold all kinds of goods. They now cry because they do not have anyone to sell to.
Could be just the opposite.
11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:
The merchants cry because they can't buy HER MERCHANDISE because she is GONE.
Should have caught this before! The woman and the beast. The RCC and Rome, or vice versa? Another possibility could be the pope and Rome.
Strong's Concordance word 473 in the Greek dictionary. You will find the the word anti is often used to denote substitution-
473. anti, an-tee'; a prim. particle; opposite, i.e. instead or because of (rarely in addition to):--for, in the room of. Often used in composition to denote contrast, requital, *substitution*, correspondence, etc.
An example of how anti is used this way can be found in the words type and antitype, which are used with respect to Bible prophecy. The "type" is the pattern or symbol, and the antitype is the fulfillment. The Jewish Passover was a "type" and the crucifixion of Jesus is the "antitype" or fulfillment of the example of the type. You substitute the antitype into the symbolism of the type to arrive at the complete meaning.
The Catholic Church has essentially confirmed this usage of the word anti. In the 1994 Catholic Almanac on page 158 there is "the list of men who claimed or exercised the papal office in an uncanonical manner." So these men tried to substitute themselves for the true Pope, and usurp that office, so to speak. The Catholic church denies the papal authority of the men on that list because they attempted a substitute (false) claim on the Papacy. That list is a list of ANTI-POPES! So the word anti can clearly mean a substitute for something.
THE WORD ANTICHRIST
Antichrist (word 500 in Strong's Greek dictionary) can be interpreted then, as someone who substitutes himself for Jesus Christ, the Son of God, just as an antipope substituted himself into the office of the Papacy.
Not saying it has to, just pointing out that it could. Need to check on the meaning 'Vicar of Christ'. Too tired tonight though.
REVELATION 13
1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
DANIEL 7
7 "After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast-terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns.
Further in Daniel Chapter 7 this is the explanation that is given.
23 "He gave me this explanation: 'The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it. 24 The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. 25 He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws.
And I find it very odd that the united nations has already divided up the world into ten parts. Why would they have it divided into ten parts?
MCD
If Mystery Babylon the great city is Rome and John is literally speaking of the seven hills of Rome, I have great difficulty with the passage here it just does not make sense.
Revelation 13
1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast (a ruler of all nations, unlike any other. According to Daniel 7:23) rise up out of the sea, having seven heads (seven hills of Rome) and ten horns (ten kings), and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads (the seven hills of Rome) the name of blasphemy.
2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
3 And I saw one of the heads (one of the seven hills of Rome) as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound (one of the seven hills of Rome) was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
It just does not make sense that if one of the seven hills of Rome was wounded almost to death and that hill was healed that all of the world would wonder after the beast. I am just curious if you have any theory or ideas on this.
MCD
I very much expect him to be and act very much like Hitler. After WWI much of Germany was in an economic depression. Most had a hard time buying enough food for their families. Their self esteem was also down. When Hitler came on the scene he was very charming and he told people he would get them back to work and he did. He had Germany begin printing it's own money and he had the people building the roads. He also told them that they were the superior race. This of course really boosted the morale of the country and the self esteem.
The Hitler that you speak of, was the end result. Hitler was nothing like that in the beginning and many people that lived over there at that time did not see it coming. I got my information first hand from someone who grew up there during those times. I expect the anti-Christ to come in charming and solving problems for people whether it be health, economic or something else. I think he may tell people that they can be like gods (just as many new age people believe) most people will be so involved with themselves that they will not see or know what is going on. And if and when they do see what is happening it will be to late.
MCD
It seemed important enough for John to write about how rich Mystery Babylon was, and how all the merchants got rich from this Mystery Babylon, and how they all wept when Mystery Babylon was destroyed, maybe this was a clue to the identity of Mystery Babylon. It seems that Mystery Babylon was very wealthy and made many merchants rich.
Revelation 18
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
This does not say that the woman killed the saints. It says that she was drunk with the blood of the saints.
Since the thing started in Israel I can't count how many times we step in and pressure Israel to pull back, or not to do something that they are doing to protect themselves. Israel will usually bow down to the pressure put on them by America and then shortly after that I am reading about more deaths.
And how many of the forced abortions in China do you think American tax payers have paid for? Of course now we have said we will no longer support forced abortions, but the rest of the abortions around the world we still send much of our tax dollars to support.
We have given China most favorite nation trade status even though they are persecuting and killing Christians.
We have heard how terrible the taliban is, but it was our country that trained them and put them in power.
Clinton put Kofianan in and he had a part in the massacre (by knowing about it and allowing it)that happened to all the Christians murdered in Rwanda.
Without American money and American support the United Nations would have ceased to exist. But we have built that beast by our money and army. At one time we could have closed down the UN. Now the UN is going to end up finding other means to exist without American money, and army. When it is strong enough it will turn on America. We funded all the evil's that the UN did. In Rwanda they (the UN) disarmed those people and told them they would provide them protection. Most of those massacred were Christians. These people were martyrs for Jesus name. If they had converted they would be alive.
Now it is my turn to say goodnight! I will be looking forward to your post! I am interested in what your thoughts are on the things that I have brought up.
MCD
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