This was the week that was

Thank God for Jesus/Yeshua!

This is the week that was: on Sonday, Jan 19, three (3!) Israeli hostages were released after 471 days/~15 months in horrific captivity by Hamas in Gaza. On Monday, Jan 20, Donald Trump was again inaugurated, this time as the 47th President of the United States of America. There are many whom he has chosen to serve in his government that profess that Jesus is the Christ/Messiah.

There are very mixed feelings and expectations and worries due to both of these major events. I would dare to say that nearly all Israeli citizens — especially those who are glad to identify as being Israeli — were both glad and sad at the same time: crying with joy at seeing the three Israeli women returned to Israel, and to their families — all of whom have endured a horrible year-plus. The deal that Israel was pressured to make does not look good from an Israeli perspective, other than some temporary tension has been released, only to exacerbate the real concerns about more serious repercussions that may result from such a deal. “Have I got a deal for you?!” Meanwhile, Hamas and their ilk are celebrating.

Despite all of the government’s claims to the contrary as to the goals of this war, Israel has once again been forced to “lose” before they would “win”. I do believe that some regional peace agreement will come out of this destruction, but a peace that will further lull people to accepting, with wishful thinking, a false peace that can not, and will not, endure. Only God’s peace plan will be true and righteous and permanent.

It is easy to blame the government, the military, the intelligence, the “non-Zionists” — both within Israeli society, and also without — for contributing to the present ceasefire, which is most likely to bring an “end” to this present war. Why would such a hateful and ideological-driven enemy as jihadi Hamas give back all of the hostages if they think at all that Israel might resume the war? It would not surprise me at all if Hamas holds back even one, if not more, just as another way to express their disdain for Israel and the Jewish people, and for the West with its Christian “values”.  

Actually, the Zionists, those who believe that the Creator and Redeemer God has specially covenanted this land for the Israeli and Jewish people, also contribute to this bad deal:  those who want to believe that either that the Jews don’t deserve to be given back the land that was taken away for such a long time; or else that God has changed His mind and heart regarding the people whom He chose to bring glory to His holy Name; or else that such a God does not even exist, and it is only a Jewish myth or dream that has no validity that this land is connected at all to any Jewish home — they all want to “prove” that they are right, and that they will “rule the world”.

I remember writing somewhere during Trump’s first term in office from 2016-2020 that even he could turn against Israel. That is because of his own deception that he can, and will, make America great again, and now adding, as he enters his second term, that America’s greatest golden age is about to enter. This is part of the Gentile, dominion-now mentality of many Americans: America is, and must be, the “head”. Israel has its own take on that, which is that Israel determines her own destiny (self-determination), and God has promised this land to the descendants of Jacob, and we will take it by force, if necessary. YHVH’s Kingdom, with Yeshua/Jesus as the King, is “up there, out of sight”; but “down here” it is up to us. None of them recognize, or accept at this time, that God has HIS way for the full remnant of the 12, even 13, tribes to inherit the Land of Canaan for an everlasting possession; and the nations of the world do not know that they, too, are destined to be brought into Yeshua’s inheritance of the nations, and under His righteous, “rod of iron”, benign rule.

Prophecy tells us that the Babylonian kingdom/empire under Nebuchadnezzer was the head of gold, and all the subsequent kingdoms have been of lesser metallic value, until the end when there is only iron, mixed with clay. This last Gentile kingdom of this world leads to the return of the Messiah/Christ, whose kingdom is not of this world, and His kingdom will never end! Even so, come, Lord Jesus!!   That, praise God, will bring the truly golden age to the entire Creation! (Rom 8:16-25) 

YHVH God has promised that His chosen nation Israel will be the “head” nation, but only when Israel is willingly subject to the rule of God’s appointed King, Messiah Son of David/Son of God. As long as Israel rejects YHVH from being her King, and prefers having kings and rulers like the Gentiles have, Israel is the “tail”, and must go sometimes with its tail between her legs in humiliation, as she must go wherever the kings and rulers and principalities of this world lead and take her. (Many believers, I believe, have taken that head-and-tail verse as their own personal “philosophy of expectation” for their lives, when God was speaking to Israel as a nation becoming the head, and not necessarily every Jewish person or Israeli, or believer in Jesus before He comes. Many of these believers have been sorely disappointed and frustrated, even as many, of course, have found themselves often “on top”.) (Dt 28:9-15)  Unfortunately, it will take Jacob’s Trouble/Great Tribulation to bring everyone to see that their own “my way” has misled them. (Jer 30:4-24; Dan 12:1-4; Mt 24:3-25; Dt 32:28-43)