Sound The Midnight Cry

“More Than Another Date On The Calendar”

The Middle East conflict that broke out over two weeks ago did so on the first day of a twenty-one day time of fasting and mourning by the Jewish people. This time of fasting was in remembrance of the tragic events that happened to Israel during this time in their history. As noted last week, several events mark the beginning of the twenty-one day period. A number of events occurred on the 9th of Av [August 3] the last day of the twenty-one days that warrant fasting:

• On this day, the Twelve spies sent by Moses to observe the land of Canaan brought an "evil report" about the land
• Solomon's Temple (the First Temple) and the Kingdom of Judah were destroyed and the Judeans were sent into the Babylonian exile.
• The Second Temple was destroyed by the Roman Empire in 70 A.D.
• Pope Urban II launched the Crusades in 1095.
• King Edward II signed a decree expelling Jews from England in 1290.
• The Talmud [book of Jewish law] was burned in 1242.
• The Alhambra decree was put into effect in 1492, leading to the Jewish expulsion from Spain.
• The First World War started in 1914.
• The first killings at the Treblinka death camp took place in 1942.
• Arab terrorists carry out the AMIA bombing by on July 18, 1994, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, which killed 86 and wounded 120.

The worst [in my opinion] was last year when the Israeli government chose to expel thousands Jewish families from their homes in the Gaza Strip [at the urging of the U.S.] during the “Three Weeks” in a “land for peace” deal with Hamas. [We can see today what kind of “peace” that brought as rockets rain down on Israel from Gaza.] The original beginning date of August 15, 2005 fell on the 9th of Av but was changed to August 17 due to tremendous pressure from Jews the world over, horrified that the government of Israel would add to the list of their sufferings during this tragic period.

This three week moment on the Jewish calendar is a time God wants Israel to repent for their turning from Him to other gods and nations. One cannot help but wonder as tensions escalate in the Middle East, that once again God is trying to get Israel’s attention to turn back to Him.

As the time of fasting ends on the 9th of Av [August 3], pray for God’s hand of protection for Israel and may He bring confusion against her enemies.

All of this is a reminder of the fact that Jesus is coming soon!

“Coincidence? I Think Not!”

Thursday of last week [July 13th] saw an explosion in the Middle East that threatens to engulf the world in its inferno. Headlines in the following days read, “Israel invades southern Lebanon… Hezbollah fires missile at Haifa…World leaders urge restraint in Middle East flare-up.” Not only was it a day for headlines, on the Jewish calendar it was the 17th of Tammuz — the start of 21 days of mourning.

Mark Biltz of El Shaddai Ministries writes: “The 17th of Tammuz, the fast of the fourth month! Jews the world over fast and lament the many calamities that befell them on this day. The purpose that is on all their minds is to awaken their hearts toward repentance by recalling the misdeeds of their forefathers.

Today is the day Moses came down from the mountain and broke the two tablets of the 10 commandments and destroyed the golden calf. Today is the day the walls of Jerusalem were breached by Nebuchudnezzar. Traditionally, it was today King Manasseh, one of the worst [Israelite] kings, erected an idol in the Temple.

Today begins the three-week mourning period leading up to the 9th of Av (Aug 3), the day the Temples were destroyed, both in 586 B.C. and 70 A.D. It is the day God wants Israel to repent for their turning from Him to other gods and nations.”

The question that should be on our minds is what will happen between now and the 9th of Av (August 3) this year? The reason for this is that the 9th of Av [August 3rd] is also associated with many other terrible events in Jewish history, both preceding the destruction of the Temples and continuing until the present [I’ll share more at another writing]. However, one overlooked thought according to classical Jewish sources is the belief that the Jewish Messiah will be born on that very day! The nation of Israel is looking for their Messiah.

The nations of the world are lining up in fulfillment of bible prophecy. Only God knows the time frame. The question for you today is, “Are you ready?” Jesus is coming soon!

“Now You See It, Now You Don’t”

That great line of every great magician leaves the audience spellbound when they make something disappear. That same line can be said of the present “peace” we have in light of current happenings in Russia, Egypt and the Middle East.

Peter Zeihan of Stratfor Intelligence reports that Russia appears to be “a nation without much political direction, as it tries to find its footing in the post-Soviet era”; the more it looks as the Soviet era is returning. “The population is growing simultaneously older, smaller and sicklier. The number of Muslims is growing, while the number of ethnic Russians is declining.” Add to that mix the fact that Russia cannot afford to replace its decaying nuclear fleet, making the U.S. unlikely to renew the nuclear limitations treaty between the two countries.

Add to that combination that according to Israel's "Debka Report" that “Russia has a vested interest in a regional war.” President Putin is making good use of the U.S. President Bush's preoccupations in Iraq and Korea to build Syria up as a jumping-off base for Russian penetration of the Middle East. Debka says their sources report that hundreds of Russian military engineers are busy establishing two big naval bases in Syria's Mediterranean ports of Tartus and Latakia.

Included in the recipe of disaster is the fact that Russia and China are blocking sanctions that could send Iran and North Korea the appropriate messages. All the while, Russia continues to increase their influence in the Middle East with rogue nations.

And finally, Middle East News Line reports that Egyptian President Mubarak, 78, has been spending less time in his presidential duties amid declining health. Sources say Mubarak's son, Gamal, is managing most of Egypt's domestic activities as well as learning to handle security and diplomatic issues. “The matter of [the rule of the elder Mubarek] will not go on for more than a year,” Secretary-General Mohammed Habib said. “Perhaps less than a year.”

The end-time nations continue to rapidly take their prophetic positions. “When they say peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them.” For the follower of Jesus Christ, all of this points to His soon return and the Rapture of the Church. Then it really will be “Now you see us, now you don’t!”

Signs and Wonders!

Sometimes it is difficult to turn on the news or pickup a magazine or newspaper and find any “good” news. Recently an article reported that in spite of the continuous spate of bad news coming out of Iraq, unprecedented religious freedom has finally come to Iraq because of military action there, and more Iraqi Muslims are becoming followers of Jesus Christ today than at any other time in the history of the country. The source of that information was given by none other than retired Iraqi General Georges Sada.

The Kurds in the north of Iraq, for example, are especially receptive to the gospel message and are converting to Christianity "by the hundreds," Sada reported. One evangelical church recently started in Kurdistan now has more than 800 people worshipping there every week, most of whom are new converts from Islam. He told how some 5,000 Iraqis have publicly identified themselves as new followers of Christ since Iraq was liberated, and that an estimated eight out of ten Iraqi believers say they converted because Jesus appeared to them in dreams or visions.

Sada said that Saddam Hussein's throne room in his main palace in Baghdad had been turned into an evangelical church after the war. "Once Saddam used that room to order thousands of people to be executed, but now the name of Jesus Christ -- the King of kings and the Lord of lords -- is praised there instead. Sada also said tens of thousands of Bibles were being printed in Iraq. Thousands more are being shipped into Iraq and Christian programming is now available to Iraqis on satellite television.

Why is he taking such risks to share the good news? General Sada said, "There is an Arab proverb which says, 'Don't be a mute Satan.'" "If you know the truth, you have an obligation to tell everyone."

What a reminder that those that know the truth must tell others, whether they receive it or not. So, whom have you told recently about the truth of Jesus Christ and His soon return?

Have a great week! 

“Slip Slidin’ Away”

Paul Simon wrote a song several years ago called “Slip Slidin’ Away.” The chorus said, “Slip slidin' away, Slip slidin' away. You know the nearer your destination, the more you're slip slidin' away.” Well, that could be the theme song for the Episcopal Church in America as it slides towards apostasy. Apostasy is a word that means the renunciation of a religious or political belief or allegiance.

Episcopalian Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori, when asked if homosexuality is sin, said homosexuality is a gift from God. When asked if homosexuality is sin, she replied: “I don't believe so. I believe that God creates us with different gifts. Each of us comes into the world with a different collection of things that challenge us and things that give us joy and allow us to bless the world around us. Some people come into this world with affections ordered toward other people, and some come into this world with affections directed at people of their own gender.”

But the key in watching this church fall into apostasy may well be its refusal to claim that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation. The Episcopal convention overwhelmingly rejected a resolution declaring the Episcopal Church's belief in an "unchanging commitment to Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the only name by which any person may be saved," and it rejected acknowledging evangelism as "the solemn responsibility placed upon us to share Christ with all persons when we hear His words (in John 14:6), 'I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"

2 John 9-10 says, "Whosoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ has not God. If there come any to you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed."

If I remember correctly, the hard part about slipping and sliding is the stopping at the bottom of the hill! Hold to the teachings of Jesus and your footing will be sure.

Have a great week! –Pastor Bob