A Postscript to Israel's Election
For the past few days many eyes have been on the nation of Israel as national elections were held yesterday. The pre-election polls showed a very tight race between the Likud Party, under the leadership of Prime Minister Netanyahu, and the Blue and White Party, under the leadership of former military chief of staff Bennie Gantz. With approximately 98% of the vote counted, as of Israel time this morning, both the Likud and Blue and White parties have won 35 seats each in the 120 seat Knesset. In other words they tied and both Netanyahu and Gantz declared victory.
However, and here is where Israeli politics gets very interesting, Netanyahu will be asked to form a new government. This request will be made in the coming days by President Reuven Rivlin. Now if there is a tie between these two men, then why would Netanyahu be asked to form a government? It is because more parties that consider themselves right-of-center won seats in the Knesset than those that consider themselves left-of-center. Right now it appears that Prime Minister Netanyahu would control 65 of the 120 seats in the Knesset with the Blue and White party controlling 45 of the remaining seats, with ten still undecided. Therefore, Prime Minister Netanyahu would have the majority of seats to form a coalition government.
Here is another aspect of what makes this election so interesting: It appears that Prime Minister Netanyahu will be indicted, perhaps as early as this summer, on a charge of bribery. If he is convicted of those charges, that will necessitate another national election later on.
I am confident that President Trump and his administration were grateful for the re-election of Netanyahu as they have developed a close working relationship over the past two years. Now we will have the opportunity of seeing what President Trump's "Deal of the Century" for the Middle East will look like. That document, when it is released, will be worth spending some time pondering over. From the leaks already given, Trump's plan is more inclusive of the entire Middle East and not just the Israeli-Palestinian problem. We got a sense of that tone when he announced that the United States would recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, a portion of northeast Israel that was taken from Syria during the 1967 Six Day War.
Speaking of those leaks, last week David Rosenberg wrote an article for the Arutz Sheva concerning that "Deal of the Century." You can find the article at www.israelnationalnews.com/1-million-palestinians-to-settle-in-jordan-under-trump-plan. Let me quote from that article: "According to the report, published by the Beirut-based 'Al-Akhbar', sources in Jordan and Egypt say that the much-anticipated peace plan would include a broad regional agreement, with a number of Arab states taking an active role in the deal.
"Jordan, for instance, will be asked to permanently settle one million Palestinian Arabs currently listed as refugees. Under the plan, according to the 'Al-Akhbar' report, Jordan would first naturalize 300,000 Palestinian Arabs, including those already living in Jordan, which the report said number no more than 200,000. Details regarding the present location of the remaining 800,000 were not provided in the report.
"Similarly, Lebanon will be urged to grant citizenship to all Palestinian Arabs currently living in the country. The roughly 450,000 Palestinian Arabs in Lebanon have largely been denied citizenship by the Lebanese government, which has restricted their rights since their entry in 1948.
"Aside from taking in Palestinian Arabs, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan will also be asked to cede to Israel two areas currently leased by the Jewish state. ... In exchange for Jordan's cooperation, the Hashemite Kingdom would be compensated to the tune of roughly $45 billion dollars in foreign grants and funding for various projects. In addition, Saudi Arabia would ceded to Jordan territory along the Saudi-Jordanian border roughly equivalent in size to Naharayim and Tzofar [two areas Jordan will give to Israel].
"Jordan would also be asked to form a tripartite confederation with the Palestinian Authority and Israeli Civil Administration in Judea and Samaria, the report claimed - a request Jordan has expressed concerns about. Egypt would also play a major role in the peace deal, the report claimed, citing Egyptian sources which said American officials have floated the idea of opening up large swathes of the Sinai Peninsula near the Gaza Strip for the establishment of industrial zones for Gaza's burgeoning population. In exchange - and as part of the effort to develop the industrial zones - Egypt would receive some $65 billion in foreign grants and payments for projects in northern Sinai."
Friends, if these leaks prove to be valid, President Trump's "Deal of the Century" will remake part of the Middle East. This may be the first step in a greater plan that we read about in Daniel 9 where the Antichrist will sign an agreement with Israel that will guarantee peace. Definitely another sign we are moving toward the final days - at least as I see it.
I have to share one more article, also found at the Arutz Shev website, written by Gary Willig: www.israelnationalnews.com/farrakhan-jesus-was-2000-years-too-early-to-destroy-the-jews. "Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan claimed to be Jesus and that he would fulfill Jesus' mission of destroying the Jewish civilization in a newly revealed video. Speaking at a 'Savior's Day' event in February, Farrakhan said that 'God does not love this world. God never sent Jesus to die for this world. Jesus died because he was 2,000 years too soon to bring about the end of the civilization of the Jews. He never was on a cross, there was no Calvary for that Jesus. The real story is what I tried to tell you from the beginning. It didn't happen back there. It's happening right while you're alive looking at it,' Farrakhan continued. 'I represent the Messiah. I represent the Jesus and I am that Jesus. If I am not, take my life.'"
Friends, did Jesus come to destroy the Jewish race? Absolutely not! Jesus came to bring salvation to the Jews as well as to the Gentiles. Was the cross a real event? Absolutely - our salvation is totally dependent upon that sacrifice poured out on the cross for us. Farrakhan may think he is a "messiah" but he is a false messiah - one of many in a long line of those who have claimed to be Jesus down through the years. Again, I go back to the words of Jesus to His disciples there upon the Mount of Olives when He declared that in the end times there will be many who come saying, "I am the Christ." We are not to believe them.
What an exciting world we live in. Almost every day we are seeing prophecies of old become unfolded right before our very eyes. Friends, keep looking up - Jesus is coming!
However, and here is where Israeli politics gets very interesting, Netanyahu will be asked to form a new government. This request will be made in the coming days by President Reuven Rivlin. Now if there is a tie between these two men, then why would Netanyahu be asked to form a government? It is because more parties that consider themselves right-of-center won seats in the Knesset than those that consider themselves left-of-center. Right now it appears that Prime Minister Netanyahu would control 65 of the 120 seats in the Knesset with the Blue and White party controlling 45 of the remaining seats, with ten still undecided. Therefore, Prime Minister Netanyahu would have the majority of seats to form a coalition government.
Here is another aspect of what makes this election so interesting: It appears that Prime Minister Netanyahu will be indicted, perhaps as early as this summer, on a charge of bribery. If he is convicted of those charges, that will necessitate another national election later on.
I am confident that President Trump and his administration were grateful for the re-election of Netanyahu as they have developed a close working relationship over the past two years. Now we will have the opportunity of seeing what President Trump's "Deal of the Century" for the Middle East will look like. That document, when it is released, will be worth spending some time pondering over. From the leaks already given, Trump's plan is more inclusive of the entire Middle East and not just the Israeli-Palestinian problem. We got a sense of that tone when he announced that the United States would recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, a portion of northeast Israel that was taken from Syria during the 1967 Six Day War.
Speaking of those leaks, last week David Rosenberg wrote an article for the Arutz Sheva concerning that "Deal of the Century." You can find the article at www.israelnationalnews.com/1-million-palestinians-to-settle-in-jordan-under-trump-plan. Let me quote from that article: "According to the report, published by the Beirut-based 'Al-Akhbar', sources in Jordan and Egypt say that the much-anticipated peace plan would include a broad regional agreement, with a number of Arab states taking an active role in the deal.
"Jordan, for instance, will be asked to permanently settle one million Palestinian Arabs currently listed as refugees. Under the plan, according to the 'Al-Akhbar' report, Jordan would first naturalize 300,000 Palestinian Arabs, including those already living in Jordan, which the report said number no more than 200,000. Details regarding the present location of the remaining 800,000 were not provided in the report.
"Similarly, Lebanon will be urged to grant citizenship to all Palestinian Arabs currently living in the country. The roughly 450,000 Palestinian Arabs in Lebanon have largely been denied citizenship by the Lebanese government, which has restricted their rights since their entry in 1948.
"Aside from taking in Palestinian Arabs, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan will also be asked to cede to Israel two areas currently leased by the Jewish state. ... In exchange for Jordan's cooperation, the Hashemite Kingdom would be compensated to the tune of roughly $45 billion dollars in foreign grants and funding for various projects. In addition, Saudi Arabia would ceded to Jordan territory along the Saudi-Jordanian border roughly equivalent in size to Naharayim and Tzofar [two areas Jordan will give to Israel].
"Jordan would also be asked to form a tripartite confederation with the Palestinian Authority and Israeli Civil Administration in Judea and Samaria, the report claimed - a request Jordan has expressed concerns about. Egypt would also play a major role in the peace deal, the report claimed, citing Egyptian sources which said American officials have floated the idea of opening up large swathes of the Sinai Peninsula near the Gaza Strip for the establishment of industrial zones for Gaza's burgeoning population. In exchange - and as part of the effort to develop the industrial zones - Egypt would receive some $65 billion in foreign grants and payments for projects in northern Sinai."
Friends, if these leaks prove to be valid, President Trump's "Deal of the Century" will remake part of the Middle East. This may be the first step in a greater plan that we read about in Daniel 9 where the Antichrist will sign an agreement with Israel that will guarantee peace. Definitely another sign we are moving toward the final days - at least as I see it.
I have to share one more article, also found at the Arutz Shev website, written by Gary Willig: www.israelnationalnews.com/farrakhan-jesus-was-2000-years-too-early-to-destroy-the-jews. "Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan claimed to be Jesus and that he would fulfill Jesus' mission of destroying the Jewish civilization in a newly revealed video. Speaking at a 'Savior's Day' event in February, Farrakhan said that 'God does not love this world. God never sent Jesus to die for this world. Jesus died because he was 2,000 years too soon to bring about the end of the civilization of the Jews. He never was on a cross, there was no Calvary for that Jesus. The real story is what I tried to tell you from the beginning. It didn't happen back there. It's happening right while you're alive looking at it,' Farrakhan continued. 'I represent the Messiah. I represent the Jesus and I am that Jesus. If I am not, take my life.'"
Friends, did Jesus come to destroy the Jewish race? Absolutely not! Jesus came to bring salvation to the Jews as well as to the Gentiles. Was the cross a real event? Absolutely - our salvation is totally dependent upon that sacrifice poured out on the cross for us. Farrakhan may think he is a "messiah" but he is a false messiah - one of many in a long line of those who have claimed to be Jesus down through the years. Again, I go back to the words of Jesus to His disciples there upon the Mount of Olives when He declared that in the end times there will be many who come saying, "I am the Christ." We are not to believe them.
What an exciting world we live in. Almost every day we are seeing prophecies of old become unfolded right before our very eyes. Friends, keep looking up - Jesus is coming!
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