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2008年6月から9月2008日問題のNO。 468

イスラエル共和国」 60のSの復帰: どの位より長いか。

イスラエル共和国が12か月を存続できることは通常の状況で、1948年に、考えられなかった可能ではなかった。 国家としてイスラエル共和国の復活が特別な何かだったことを聖書の預言を尊重した人逹だけ知っていた。 しかしそれが今日であるので私達のどれもイスラエル共和国、悩みおよび不確実性の状態の後で、まだ60年を熟視すると期待しなかった。 聖書の約束は私達が考えたよりイエス・キリストが彼女の隣人から危険からおよび救助イスラエル共和国戻るが、ずっと時間がかかっていること、あり、まだある。

レッスンは私達が決して神に十分な時間を与えないことである。 私達はイエス・キリストの背部が今日ほしいと思う。 私達は頭部およびない尾として明日確立されるイスラエル共和国がほしいと思い彼の王国の来週王および私達自身としてイエス・キリストを見つけたいと思う。 しかしそれは学ぶべき遅いレッスンである-そのように起こらない。 私達は神の計画がコースにあるという、そして神がタイムテーブルを決定すること証拠との私達自身を慰める。

これへの陽性は引出されたタイムテーブル世界が元通りにされたイスラエル共和国の長い継続証拠に直面されることである、部分的であるが、約束4000年間の国家間の神の仕事および彼の達成の彼の完全性への証人ように。 例えば、聖地の神の丘の国に立ったアブラハムが言ったように、

「私はあなたに与えるおよびあなたの子孫あなたが見る永久にことを土地すべて; そして私は数のための地球の塵としてあなたの子孫を」作る、 起源13:15 - 16. そしてあなたおよびあなたの子孫へのIsaacに、「私はこれらの土地をすべて与え、私がアブラハムにあなたの父を誓った宣誓を行う。 そして私はあなたの子孫を天の星として増加させる; 私はあなたの子孫にこれらの土地をすべて与える; そしてあなたの種で地球のall the国家は賛美される; のでアブラハムが従った私の声に」 Genesis 26:3-5.

The bonus, if you like, of this long witness of Israel is that many more people become believers than would otherwise be the case if God’s kingdom had been instituted thirty or forty years ago. God is always right. He knows the total number of the faithful and the number is not yet complete. Every day, week, year, more people come to realize the true significance of God’s promises fulfilled in Israel’s existence and salvation in Jesus.

Note that God did not say that the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob would live in the land uninterruptedly. For unfaithfulness to God, the Jews were twice exiled from the land but, for God’s promise to endure, the Jews would need to be restored - and they were, twice. The second restoration, of land as well as of people, is in progress now. It seems that the second restoration is a little less than half complete for the land and for the people - in sixty years!

The celebratory mood in Israel today is one tinged with uncertainty as Hizb’Allah flexes its muscles in the north and rockets fall on Israel’s southern cities. The economy is booming and tourist numbers are up by half again on last year. But the government is weak and US President Bush desperate to push Israel into some kind of two state agreement with the Palestinians as his parting gift. It won’t happen but it creates pressure. A journalist in Jerusalem reports,

“Many Israelis seem unable to shake off what the columnist Chemi Chalev described in the right-of-centre daily Israel Hayom as ‘that gloomy feeling - which is vague but nonetheless part of the consensus - that something isn’t quite right’…when polled to rate the national mood from one to ten, the average was a glum 5.8.” One day it will be 10/10.

Solving Two Mysteries in Ezekiel 38 & 39: Earthquakes and Robbers

These two chapters exclusively provide a number of interesting details of the invasion and destruction of the Gogian forces that, sometime in the future, come on the mountains of Israel. But, in doing so, produce two puzzles that need careful consideration. One conundrum concerns a great earthquake and the other question revolves around the accomplishments of the invaders before their destruction.

Chapter 38 describes the composition of the armies - eight named countries, mostly Muslim, plus others [Ezek 38:3-6]. It also details the means of destruction of the invading force - internal conflict amounting to self destruction plus divinely directed natural forces [Ezek 38:21-22]. Chapter 39 details the battlefield cleanup process [Ezek 39:9-20], the location of the action - east of the Sea of Galilee and close to the Damascus/Amman highway, about 80 kms. south of the Syrian capital [Ezek 39:11].

It is important to appreciate that this confrontation seems to take place when the mountains of Israel include those of what we know as north Jordan. They are part of an expanded Israel when the terms of Obadiah’s prophecy are fulfilled. One of five pieces of territory to be restored to Israel is listed in Obadiah 1:18

“…and Benjamin shall possess Gilead”. The border between Gilead and Bashan [still further north into today's Syria almost to Damascus] is east of the Sea of Galilee, a steep hilly area that will become “the mountains of Israel”. Micah 7:14 also pinpoints this area, “Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead as in the days of old.”

Our focus is not around Jericho or Hazor. Our attention is much further northeast than that - the yet-to-be incorporated “mountains of Israel”, at present north Jordan and south Syria.

THE EARTHQUAKE

When, therefore, Ezek 38:19 records that “there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel”, the land of Israel will extend a great deal further north and east than it does today. The record is this -
“When Gog comes against the land of Israel,” says the Lord GOD, “my fury will show in my face. For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath I have spoken: Surely in that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel, so that the fish of the sea, the birds of the heavens, the beasts of the field, all creeping things that creep on the earth, and all men who are on the face of the earth shall shake at My presence. The mountains shall be thrown down, the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. I will call for a sword against Gog throughout all my mountains” Ezekiel 38:18-21.

God’s reactions here are no ordinary response. The depth of his fury at the impertinence of this invasion is not just a cold anger. It is in his face. The consequent earthquake affects nature itself, even to the fish, birds, beasts, creeping things and human beings. The mountains are thrown down and every wall falls.

Are we to take this earthquake and its effects literally? Or does it figuratively describe the enormous disruptive effects that the destruction of the invader produces? The writer’s preference is to adopt the literal interpretation wherever possible. In this case, a literal interpretation has difficulties in the phrases “the mountains shall be thrown down” and “every wall shall fall”. Does the mountainous country in the distant northeast become a flat plain?
Furthermore, “those who dwell in the cities of Israel will go out” and embark on a battlefield clearance program. Israeli cities with walls and roofs still exist. In this case it is impossible that, literally, “every wall shall fall”.

But there are precedents for God exempting some Israelites from general judgments. The Israelites in Goshen avoided the effects of some of the ten plagues in Egypt. When David angered God by numbering Israel, God halted the spreading plague in Jerusalem so that only part of the citizens suffered. The possibility arises that the cities of Israel will be exempt from falling walls and crashing roofs of a literal earthquake. But it seems likely that the earthquake of Ezekiel 38 represents, not just the physical damage of the enormous impact, but has an impact in every mode of life, throughout the whole Middle East and Mediterranean areas, if not the world, accompanying the destruction of the Gogian host.

SPOILERS, ROBBERS, PLUNDERERS AND PILLAGERS

There is confusion concerning the exploits of the Gogian invading force before it is destroyed. In Ezekiel 38 and 39 there is not a single Gogian achievement recorded. The only success attributed to Gog is fabricated by applying circumstances from other prophecies that, in all cases, do not name Gog or any others. It can be demonstrated that these so-called supporting prophecies apply to other Israeli enemies, particularly the Arabs. Only the events of Ezekiel 38 and 39 apply to the Gogian invasion and they achieve nothing.

Ezekiel 39:10 gives an impression contrary to this in referring to the Israeli cleanup, “…they shall spoil those that spoiled them and rob those that robbed them” [AV] or “they shall plunder those who plundered them and pillage those who pillaged them” [NKJ], seeming to indicate that vanquished Gog had spoiled, plundered, pillaged and robbed them before being wiped out. The answer lies in the intent of Gog.

The invaders arrive in the far northeast “mountains of Israel” with the aim of easy pickings in an unwalled and undefended country, just like pirates and buccaneers of old. They are therefore labeled as spoilers, robbers, plunderers and pillagers even though they had not had opportunity at that point to exploit their intention. Since they had achieved nothing according to Ezekiel’s record, the more accurate wording of Ezek 39:10 would be “…they shall spoil the spoilers and rob the robbers” and “…plundered the plunderers and pillaged the pillagers”.

CONCLUSION

First impressions of the meaning of a prophecy need careful scrutiny, particularly in relation to the context. If the earthquake of Ezekiel 38 is regarded as literal, then Israeli towns are excluded from the destruction according to the context. Alternatively it may be considered that the symbolic earthquake of Gog’s divine punishment will be a disruptive and alarming atmosphere in a wider world.

It is not possible to attribute robbery and pillage to Gog when the only directly attributed record in Ezekiel 38 and 39 has no details whatsoever. A hooded person approaching a bank with gun in hand is labeled a bank robber, even if apprehended before he does the deed. So it is with Gog, destroyed before the intentions can be achieved. The context guides the story.

Israel at 60: A Welcome Tribute

It is refreshing to read a fair assessment of Israel’s history in an editorial in Australia’s most widely read newspaper, The Sydney Morning Herald. It shows no sign of any Biblical understanding-only an unbiased summary that is all too rare.

“ISRAEL today celebrates the 60th anniversary of its founding. Its people have much to be proud of, for theirs is an amazing story - not just of survival in the face of great odds but of massive achievement.
Created, in the wake of a dreadful genocide, as a homeland for a scattered and historically persecuted people, Israel was. born into conflict. It has not known real peace since. Yet in the space of six turbulent decades, this small country has become its region’s one truly modern, democratic state, its most formidable military power, and an economic success story that has put it in the global forefront in science, technology and agriculture.

For Jewish people around the world, it is the symbol of the triumphant durability of their identity and culture. Even so, many thoughtful Israelis, even as they attend today’s national birthday parades, concerts and barbecues, are sadly aware that the lasting peace they crave remains as elusive as ever, perhaps more so than a year or so ago.” And further on….

“It is true that Israel is today more secure than it was, in the sense that making peace with Egypt and Jordan has reduced, if not eliminated, the risk of another all-out war with neighbouring Arab countries. Even a settlement with Syria might yet be achieved. Unfortunately, the Palestinian problem remains utterly intractable, and while that continues to be so Israel will live with terrorism and crossborder raids. Israeli retaliation inevitably carries a risk of civilian casualties, further fuelling Palestinian resentment. That is the Hamas game plan.

Nor is there much prospect of an early breakthrough. Recent history shows that even when leaders on both sides are willing, or can be persuaded by the US, to make concessions for peace, such concessions are likely to be repudiated by powerful forces in their constituencies.
At the moment, George Bush, Israel’s Ehud Olmert and Palestine’s Mahmoud Abbas are all in urgent need of real progress. So let us wish Israelis a happy birthday, and hope for a break in the current sombre outlook.”

The Bible prophecies indicate that, when Jesus sets up God’s Kingdom on Earth and rules from Jerusalem, there are those who accept his authority [eg Tarshish, the Isles, Sheba and Seba Psalm 72:10] and those who will have perished because they will not submit. The above editorial indicates a fair and sympathetic approach that may easily be taught and turned into acceptation of God’s plan with the earth. It is in contrast with much of the blind hatred of Israel that poisons minds into a permanent fixation against Israel and her divinely appointed destiny.

Israel’s Restoration Better than Expected

God’s promise was, after an extended exile of Israel to the ends of the earth, to restore both them as a people and the Holy Land as their national home. Latest figures show that Israel’s population is increasing at a rate better than expected.

Yoram Ettinger, a former Israeli Embassy liaison with Congress, says it’s critical for Israeli decision-makers to know that, contrary to popular perception, the proportion of Jews in the Land of Israel is rising. In 1995, the number of Jewish births comprised 69% of all births in Israel, while today it is 75%.The most startling recent demographic finding, Ettinger said, “is that between 1995 and 2007, the annual number of Jewish births has increased by 40%, from some 80,000 to 112,000 Jewish births each year. During this period, the number of Arab births within the Green Line [pre-'67 Israel] has stabilized at around 39,000 a year. In addition, in 1995, the number of Jewish births comprised 69% of all births in Israel, while today it is 75%.”Within the Green Line, there are currently 1.4 million Arabs, compared with almost 6 million Jews. In Judea and Samaria, there are 1.5 million Arabs, and not 2.3 million, as [the PA] claims. In Gaza, there are 1.1 million, and not 1.5 million.” Ettinger then summed up: “What this shows is that the trend is Jewish, not Arab.” Asked to explain the different perception, he said that pessimistic Jewish forecasts were never corrected. God’s promises always flourish. “Be still and see the salvation of the Lord”.

G.S.B. JUNE ‘08