ISRAEL UPDATEMay 18, 2003 - Now that newly elected Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas is demanding that the so-called new peace initiative "Road Map" be put into place, it can be emphatically said that it will not work... and for several reasons.
First, the Bible clearly states it will fail as seen in Daniel 9:27, “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.”
The Road Map, according to this passage, will have to fail - so another peace plan initiated by the Antichrist will become necessary to calm the irreconcilable differences between Israel and the Arab world.
Second, the Road Map, just one of the many variations of peace plans conceived during this past century, definitely does not have the best interests of Israel at heart. The European Union, United Nations, and the C.I.S. (formally Russia), are only empowering Israel's enemies to destroy her.
Joel 3:2 clearly states that G-d will gather the nations together where He will plead for His people, land, and heritage - with those who have scattered His people and divided His land.
This “Road Map” will only cut a path straight to the Valley of Megiddo. . . Only it won’t be men deciding what they think about G-d or Israel, but rather G-d who will be deciding the fate of those who have tried to alter His plan – the results will be tragic.
May 18, 2003 - While the Gospel of Matthew has several presentations of morals and motives, Mark takes a much different approach.
Starting in the Galilee region, the author Mark transcends to no less than 40 changes of scenery from land to mountain, desert, grain field, pasture land and areas by the sea.
Mark is explicit in his definition of the calling of a disciple - to be called to be chosen and then to be sent out.
What great corroboration, as Matthew's teaching scenarios, the Mounts of the Beatitude, Olivet and Transfiguration - where disciples sat and were taught. Mark defines them being sent out in Mark 6:7-13 and 30-31, practicing what they have learned and reporting back to the Master.
Mark's Gospel, from the start, also defines the cross, the identity and the deity of Jesus - that will ultimately culminate on the Cross outside of Jerusalem.
The story of the fig tree being cursed is another specific of Mark's Gospel in the Mark 11:12-14 - as the tree should have been ready to blossom and bear fruit at the Messiah's coming. He then denounces the Temple's religious system in the same manner, since the house of prayer for all nations had become a den of thieves. Mark 11:15-19
Comparing the Gospels of Matthew and Mark gives us two clear-cut presentations. The first, the disciple sitting and being taught, the second, being worthy of the calling and becoming fruitful. They both present Jesus as the only door to salvation and His love and compassion can be seen in both writings.
To be continued…