From: "Scott Ledbetter" <scott_ledbetter@hotmail.com>
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Subject: TROUBLE IN THE MIDDLE EAST?
Date: Sun, 15 Oct 2000 10:34:34 PDT
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Ever since the first battle broke out on the Temple Mount until now, the 
thing that comes to my mind first and foremost is, “Peace, peace; when there 
is no peace.” Jeremiah 6:14; 8:11.  Something I stumbled across on one of 
those “Christian” web sites was this quote: “The problem comes about when 
Christians expect unbelieving Jews and Muslims to behave according to 
Christian standards of peace.”  The basic problem with this statement is 
that the religious leader that wrote this does not understand the basic 
principle of the quote from Jeremiah.   Let us take a look at Jeremiah 6:14. 
  The entire verse reads, “They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of 
my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.”  For the 
last decade even going back all the way to Anwar Sadat and Manochem Began 
signing the Camp David Accord with President Jimmy Carter, the basic belief 
has been: “There can and will be Peace in the Middle East.”  During this 
time, many leaders have come and gone, but yet this peace everyone refers to 
is elusive.  Why is that?

Everything changed in 1948.  Israel became a nation in one day.  One moment 
it was not there the next it was.  The United Nations and England are 
credited with this.  However, let us give credit where credit is do: 
Hallelujah Praise Jehovah!  Only G-d could do such a mighty act.  Once again 
(for the third time) giving the descendents of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob the 
land promised to those three men and flowing with milk and honey.  When 
“Christian” invaders took the crusades into the Holy Land, it was not for 
the purpose of returning the land back to those whom G-d had promised it to, 
nor did it happen with G-d’s blessing.  Rather, it became the site of many 
brutal and savage wars.  It was claimed that G-d had sanctioned it but 
actually what it did was lend credence to murders, rapes, and pillaging.   
None of which are from G-d.

One might say, “True, pastor, but that means that what has happened over the 
52 years since is not from G-d.”  I disagree.  If I was to tell my son that 
if you lie to me, there will be long lasting consequences of me not trusting 
you, and he still lies, I still love him but just not trust him as I did.  
He must suffer the punishment.  When Abraham took G-d’s promise out of G-d’s 
time line and put it into his, Ishmael was born.  In Genesis 16:10-12 tells 
us that Ishmael would be the father of an exceedingly numerous people, will 
be a wild man, will fight many people and many people will fight him, and he 
will dwell in the presence (living at odds with all near him).  The nomadic 
people of Arabia are the descendants of Ishmael.  Mohammed was a son of 
Ishmael.  He is the author of the Quoran/Koran, the basis of the Muslim 
religion.  Now just because we make a mistake, repent, G-d forgives us and 
we are blessed as He promised doesn’t mean there are no consequences to our 
previous sin.  We pick up the story of Ismael again in Genesis 21.  This 
time, though, Isaac has been born.  Sarah had told Abraham to get rid of 
Ishmael and his mother because she did not want anyone having a superior 
claim to her son for the promises and blessings of Abraham.  Abraham was 
deeply troubled over this because, after all, this was his son and he was 
now old enough to walk, carry items, and mock Isaac.  Picking up the story 
in verse 12, we see it says,

  12.  And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight 
because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath 
said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be 
called.
13.  And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he 
is thy seed.

Although the promise of a great nation was given to Abraham regarding Isaac, 
G-d extended it to the other son as well: Ishmael.  G-d spoke to the 
distraught mother who had run out of food and water and said, “Arise, lift 
up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.” 
  This great nation had, ever since Isaac was born, been in competition with 
Isaac and his descendants.

Seeing that these two rivals have been rivals since Abraham, how should we 
expect any differences.  Besides, we can now look at this crises through the 
teachings of Jesus (Matthew 24), Paul (1 Thess 4:13-5:11; 2 Thess 2), and 
John (Revelation).  One thing interesting about Paul’s writings in 1 
Thessalonians is this, “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the 
Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.  For when they shall say, Peace and 
safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman 
with child; and they shall not escape.” ( 1 Thess 5:2-3) How does this 
compare with what is happening in the Middle East today?  The leaders of all 
the nations around are pushing for Peace.  They are trying to force a Peace 
on the residents of the Holy Land.  On one hand you have the Palestinians, 
descended from the Canaanites, Philistinians, Samarians, and other residents 
of this land since the beginning of time.  Spiritually they are Muslim.  And 
as to who holds the deed to the land, G-d does and he gave it to the 
Israelites centuries ago.  To the Muslims, anyone not a Muslim is an infidel 
and must be converted or killed.  The Jews will not convert, so no peace 
deal short of three things will work.  What are those three things?  We have 
already said two, conversion or death, and the third is the Antichrists 
peace plan that will be accepted for a time.
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