ISRAEL UPDATE

January 18, 2004 - An Arab proverb being taught to small, young children says there was a group of small birds living in a terebinth tree.  A large black bird coveted the tree.  This bird came and removed the small birds and then lived there, but was finally driven away because the small birds kept attacking the large bird until it left.

Obviously, this draws the analogy of the Palestinians in place, then being removed by the big bird of prey until the resistance of the small birds drove it away, i.e., the Palestinians must resist until Israel is forced to withdraw.

This parallel is false for these reasons:
One, the small birds were not removed by a covetous bird of prey, but by a people given a land because of G-d's covenant with them.

Second, while the Palestinians might be a minority in Israel, they have the support of millions upon millions of sympathetic people well beyond the borders of Israel.

The idea of the teil (terebinth) tree does have some merit if taught in a biblical perspective as in Isaiah 6:13, “But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.”  This is where the remnant of Israel returning will be like teil and oak trees… trees of substance having beautiful leaves.

While the analogy of this parable has some correct language, it has not been taught correctly.  Soon the truth of G-d's word it will shine, and Israel will be the head and not the tail.  This tiny country and her people will have all G-d intended - regardless of fables and false ideology.
 

January 18, 2004 - If we are to consider the “born-again Jesus” teaching, then we must to be diligent to compare this doctrine with the Bible to evaluate its merit.

To believe this erroneous claim is tantamount to calling Peter, James, and John liars.  Each one states the fact that they were with Jesus – they touched Him, ate with Him, and ministered with Him.  In short, they saw and witnessed His entire earthly ministry for themselves.

I Peter 2:21, “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.”  If Jesus were sinful before death, why would Peter attest to this?

Verse 22 tells us, “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.”  During the scourging and mockery of His trial, this surely would have been told differently than the record states in the Gospels!

In fact, verse 23 tells us His response to the lies and false treatment were nothing but godly attributes.

Finally, in verse 24, we are told Jesus bore our sins in His body upon the tree.  This was before His actual death.  This draws a stark comparison that we being dead to sin - in contrast to the sinless one could live on to righteousness.

The ability of G-d's word to shed light upon such teaching, and knowing that we can rest in the rock-solid reliability of the Holy Scriptures, gives us great peace and joy.

True, the television and radio programs are packed back-to-back with erroneous teachings, but let me reiterate an old axiom to use as a guideline, “If it’s new it ain’t true, and if it's true it ain’t new.”  So beware of those that say they have a new revelation.

To be continued…