Israel and the Palestinians are at it again.  The world watches nervously, because this is not just a local skirmish – Israel is sending a strong message to its enemy Iran.  What might Israel do next? If Iran has nuclear weapons, will it use them?  What will the US or Russia do?’ If you’re willing to listen the Bible has all the answers.

Israel and the Middle East seem to constantly dominate our news agenda.  Recent events between Israel and the Palestinians are among others in numerous skirmishes between the 2 sides.  Many consider the situation to be impossible to resolve. Others try, but have so far failed to produce any lasting peace.

But how has the situation become so bad? Why did the fighting start in the first place and will it ever be resolved?  The Bible tells us that God’s plan is centred on the nation of Israel, and we have the chance to be part of it, if we want to be. If we go back to the first book of the Bible, Genesis, we meet a man called Abraham.  God made a promise to him:

Now the Lord had said to Abram:
“Get out of your country,
From your family
And from your father’s house,
To a land that I will show you.
I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you
And make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Genesis 12:1-3

Abraham had 2 sons; Ishmael (from whom some of the Arab people descended) and Isaac (from whom the Jews came from). Isaac’s son was Jacob, whose name was later changed to Israel. Jesus was also a descendent of Israel.  So 3 faiths; Islam, Judaism and Christianity all look at this prophecy and say “this seed is referring to us”.  But who is correct?

Abraham’s wife, Sarah, couldn’t have children, but he did father a son, Ishmael, with her maid.  Traditionally it was the eldest son whom the line passed through (a tradition that still exists in parts of our monarchy even to this day).   So you can see why Ishmael’s descendants think the prophecy is about them.

But in Genesis Chapter 17 God renewed the promise with Abraham and he said that the prophecy would be fulfilled through the decendents of Sarah’s son.  But if Sarah was barren, how could that be?  Even Abraham found it hard to believe!

“Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?”  And Abraham said to God, “Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!”
 Then God said: “No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him.  And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.  But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this set time next year.”
Genesis 17:17-21

Ishmael’s descendants have been richly blessed and are some of the richest nations on the earth at the moment.  But it would appear from this (and other incidents in the Bible) that it was Jesus, born through the Jewish line, this prophecy was talking about.

Whose Land is it?

Today one of the big questions to be resolved in the Middle East is that of territory and land ownership.  The question is the same for Gaza, the West Bank, Jerusalem and the entire land known as Israel.  Everybody is arguing about ownership and rights of occupation.
Palestinians maintain that the land is their’s as they have occupied it for 2000 years and that gives them absolute title.  They say they have been ousted from their land by force.  But the Israelis point out that they were there first – from about 1400 BC until they were displaced in 70 and 135 AD.

The situation has been further complicated by various wars.  In 1947, the UN voted to partition the land between the Jews and the Arabs.  However, the Palestinians refused to recognise the state of Israel and Israel began claiming back Palestinian occupied parts of the land as their own.  What we are left with today is a complicated and dangerous position of stale-mate with neither side willing to compromise

On top of this there is the problem of Jerusalem.  The Palestinians want to make this their capital, but the city is sacred to three religions – the Jews, Christians and Muslims.

In any political settlement that might be reached, one important consideration is likely to be overlooked, All land belongs to God: He formed it, and he alone owns it.  As the Psalmist observed:

The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell therein.
Psalm 24:1

And as the apostle Paul once said, God has given the nations a right for occupation, but not forever:

God, who made the world and everything in it… He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, 
Acts 17:24-27

So neither side actually owns the land.  There is a time coming – and all indications are that it will come quite quickly – when God will call all nations to account for the way they have occupied His earth.  We are told He will “destroy those who destroy His earth” when He sends his King to reign here.  Then this wonderful forecast will come true:

 The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”
Rev 11:15

There will be peace in the Middle East, but only when Jesus returns to set up God’s Kingdom. Jesus wants us all to have a place in that Kingdom with him.  Then there will be no more war, no more death and no more suffering.  There will be everlasting, perfect peace.  To find out more about this plan, pick up your Bible and read it.

If you would like help reading the Bible, or would like to receive a DVD “Peace in the Middle East” which looks at this subject in more detail, then please visit our websitewww.TheChristadelphians.org.uk or drop us a line at FREEPOST, THE CHRISTADELPHIANS.

One of the first Father’s Day celebrations is said to have been held on 5th July 1908, in Fairmont, West Virginia. Grace Clayton is believed to have been inspired to celebrate ‘fathers’ after a deadly mine explosion which killed 361 men, many of whom were fathers. In 1924 US President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of a national Father’s Day and in 1966, US President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring that the 3rd Sunday of June should be remembered as ‘Father’s Day’.

Since then Father’s Day has become a day to not only honour our father, but all men who act as father figures in our lives. Lots of men receive gifts and cards from loved ones as a sign of their appreciation and continuing love. It is quite normal for DIY stores and gift shops, selling random gadgets, to see a significant increase in sales around Father’s Day!

But, do we appreciate that we actually have two fathers? As well as our biological father, we also have a Heavenly Father. God gives us the opportunity to know Him and love Him just like an earthly father.

The Bible teaches that He cares, provides for, and has a wonderful plan for all of His children. Like any loving parent, God doesn’t want any of His children to die. This is why God offers us the hop of everlasting life in His Kingdom, when Christ returns. The great thing is that anyone willing to acknowledge God as their father has this amazing opportunity. It not just for a select few, the offer is open to young or old, male or female, rich or poor. What’s more, God will even overlook our past faults.

So get to know your Heavenly Father this Father’s Day – it’s definitely a relationship worth celebrating!

Over the last couple of weeks, the world seems to have become a much more dangerous place.  On Wednesday 25^th April Sky News reported this story:

RAF Jet Chases Russian Planes Away From UK

“Two Russian bombers which flew close to UK airspace have been chased away by an RAF jet fighter.  The aircraft, believed to be Tupolev Tu-95 Bears, were spotted off the coast of northeast Scotland.  They were turned away from Britain when a Typhoon fighter was scrambled from RAF Leuchars in Fife.  The incidents come amid heightened international tensions over the situation in Ukraine, following the annexation of Crimea by Russia last month.  It also follows the arrival of a Russian warship, the Vice Admiral Kulakov, in waters off the coast of Britain.”

http://news.sky.com/story/1247985/raf-jet-chases-russian-planes-away-from-uk

(See our blog on the Syrian crisis from Sept 2013 to see how Bible prophecy on Russia and Israel may be interpreted. Note that the Russian planes are called “Bears”).  On the same day the Guardian reported:

Israel suspends peace talks with Palestinians after Fatah-Hamas deal

“Israel has hit back hard following an agreement on Palestinian unity by suspending already faltering peace negotiations just days before the expiry of a deadline for the US-brokered process.  The Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, accused the western-backed Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, of forming an alliance with Hamas, which he called “a terrorist organisation that calls for the destruction of Israel” – and hinted at further retaliatory measures.

 Netanyahu’s comments followed Wednesday’s announcement of a unity agreement between Abbas’ Fatah movement – the dominant group in the PLO and which governs parts of the West Bank – and Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip. The US and EU also classify Hamas – whose name means the Islamic Resistance Movement – as a terrorist group, but may review their policies in the light of the unity deal.”

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/24/middle-east-israel-halts-peace-talks-palestinians

The next day the Daily Telegraph ran this story:

West threatens new Russia sanctions as Kiev warns of ‘world war three’

“Western powers led by US President Barack Obama have warning that Russia faces fresh sanctions over Ukraine, as Kiev accused Moscow of seeking to trigger a “third world war”. The threat came amid heightened tensions on the ground as the Ukrainian military launched a new offensive to besiege the rebel-held city of Slavyansk and insurgents blew up an army helicopter with a rocket-propelled grenade.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ukraine/10789354/West-threatens-new-Russia-sanctions-as-Kiev-warns-of-world-war-three.html

And on Tuesday 29^th April this story broke:

North Korea holds live-fire drill near disputed border

“North Korea has begun a live-fire drill near the disputed inter-Korean western maritime border, South Korean officials say.  It is the second time in a month that Pyongyang has carried out such exercises.  South Korea’s defence ministry said it was notified early on Tuesday that drills would take place near two islands west of the Korean peninsula.  A South Korean spokesman said its military was “fully prepared”.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-27200485

All these incidents show the world politically is delicately poised.  This isn’t the first time the world has been on the verge of war.  Throughout the Cold War there were time where times when it looked liked Russia and America where going to start World War III e.g. at the time of the Bay of Pigs Invasion.  But this time it’s not just 2 super powers.  These stories show that America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East are preparing for a possible conflict.

This can be disconcerting and worrying, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be.  We are told in the Bible how just prior to the return of Christ, the world will be in this state.  In Luke 21:25-26 we read

And there will be…on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth,

We are then told after these events:

Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”

No one wants war, but the Bible has prophesied that all these things must come to pass before Jesus returns to the earth to set up God’s Kingdom.  In this Kingdom there will be no more war, no pain and no suffering.  God is giving you an opportunity to share in this coming world if you will listen and act on his message.  To find out more about what this is, visit our “What We Believe” page.