Question # 91 I have reviewed most of your prophecy material and it is most enlightening. As a Christian, it has helped me to better understand the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict and why it is important in Bible Prophecy. My question is: “How do you convince anybody of anything regarding Israel and the current controversy if they do not believe in the Bible”?

Answer…… Well, if a person does not believe in the Bible, it is very difficult to convince them of anything. Without being able to use the Bible as the primary tool for the discussion of the subject of Israel and end-times prophecy, it is virtually impossible to convince anyone of the truth. I could use secular history to point out many things that the Bible foretold, but when people do not respect the Bible, it is usually a vain effort. I think this is just one of several reasons that Satan constantly assaults the credibility, the Divine authorship, and translation of the God's Holy Word. Satan knows the Bible exposes him as a liar and as the evil force behind the world's rebellion against God and his Son, Jesus Christ. The book of the Revelation is probably the most slandered book in the Bible, and that phenomenon occurs because The Revelation divulges the fact that Satan is a loser, and is slated for the lake of fire. He doesn't want people's eyes to be opened to that fact. So, his course of action is to attack God's Word.

Question # 92 Focus on Jerusalem is a nice web-site, but I was wondering why you use the Dome of the Rock as your logo on your cover? The Dome of the Rock was built by a religion that is violently opposed to the Jewish State. Why use it as a picture on a Christian web ministry?

Answer………Your perceptions about the Dome of the Rock are absolutely correct of course. I only use the Dome picture because it is the most prominently recognized symbol presently sitting atop the Temple Mount. While the Dome is a Muslim-Pagan structure, it does command attention. The fact that a Muslim building sits atop Zion points to the fact that Israel has "no presence" on the mount. Israel desires a new Temple, but there is an absence within Israel of a realization for who Jesus Christ is. I show the Dome because it reflects the present fallen status of Israel, and its compromises with the world. But...someday Jesus will build HIS TEMPLE in this vicinity! Focus on Jerusalem Prophecy Ministry highlights the present conflict supernatural over this city, and the religious struggle the city represents. But as the name “Focus on Jerusalem” suggests; the climactic events of Jesus second coming center on Jerusalem, and ultimately points to the heavenly city of the New Jerusalem. When Jesus comes, the Dome of the Rock will not prevail on the skyline of Old Jerusalem, but rather the throne of Jesus will prevail inside a Temple that he will construct.

Question # 93 I have always heard that the Arab-Israeli conflict goes all the way back to Abraham. Is this the case? If so, how can this be since the Bible and even the Arab-Jewish nations didn't even exist until much later?

Answer……. The Arab-Israeli “conflict” doesn't actually go back to Abraham's day, but it is true that the “roots” of the conflict do go back to Abraham. Although the Bible was written much later, the author of the Bible was one of the parties involved in the Abrahamic Covenant. God himself instituted the Abrahamic Covenant, and therefore God's word, the Bible is indeed most relevant since God was involved in both. The bible is God's word, prophecies, and revelation regarding the history of Israel and the nations that play a part in her dramatic role in human history. The Abrahamic Covenant is relative to the modern day conflict between Israel and the Arab world because it represents God's unconditional promise to restore Israel to the land at the heart of the controversy.

Question # 94 Israel has used the pretext of a war on Palestinian terrorism to expand the Zionist territorial expansionist dream. Israel is terrorizing the West Bank Palestinians in order to locate immigrating Jews into the region and building settlements on land that doesn't belong to them.

Answer…….. Israel has never practiced terrorism. I have yet to witness an Israeli suicide bomber infiltrating non-Israeli territories. Israel has never sought to expand its boundaries either. All the wars that Israel has been forced to fight have been defensive in nature. Territorial expansion could hardly be considered a legitimate complaint against Israel since she acquiesced to a receive statehood on a much smaller area in 1948, while her Arab neighbors refused to even accommodate her mere existence. In fact, if territorial expansion was the goal of Israel, it could have easily acquired all of the territory from Cairo to Damascus in previous defensive wars. In reality, Israel has conceded territory ( Sinai ) to Egypt, made concessions to Jordan, and also entered the Oslo Peace Accords in a desperate search for peace. It is true that Israel has built settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, but that is a legitimate prerogative of victorious defenders. Israel is merely seeking “security.” The so-called occupied territory is really “territory that is disputed”. Who owns the land? Who has the rights to this land? This is the great controversy of our times! It is a very complex dilemma for sure! “World law” dictates that Israel concede territory that anyone else makes a claim on. But God has dictated that he will decide this complex land controversy in the final analysis. And that is just one reason why Bible Prophecy is so important when reflecting on this volatile subject.

Question # 95 Like you, I have been following with intense interest the purported story concerning a massacre committed by Israeli troops in the city of Jenin in the West Bank. It seems that there was a lot of misinformation about this event. But, I was wondering just exactly what constitutes a massacre?

Answer……. A massacre is the deliberate and indiscriminate mass murdering of defenseless people. Innocence is not a principle of the definition of a massacre, but rather that the objects simply have no defense. The Jenin episode found suspected Palestinian terror cell members hiding within a civilian area. Unfortunately, Jenin became a “combat zone” because the “masked terrorists” chose to use the refugee camp as a shield against IDF troops. But, the facts have shown that ½ as many IDF soldiers ( 26:54 ) were killed as non-surrendering Palestinian terror cell members. While time has revealed that 7 innocent civilians were killed, it must be remembered that it was solely because they were trapped in a “combat zone”, and not because Israel indiscriminately killed defenseless persons. In the final analysis, the U.N. withdrew its investigative teams because it became obvious there was no massacre, as had been alleged by PA spokesman Saeb Erekat.

Question # 96 According to the Abrahamic Covenant, the so-called occupied Land that is in question today belongs to the Jews by divine right. But how do we know from Scripture whether the entire Promised Land rightfully belongs to the Jews today, or whether it will only rightfully belong to the Jews when the Lord gives it to them sometime in the future?

Answer.…….. When the Promise of the Land was given, it was stated that the realization of possession would be achieved in at some point in the future. Abraham was given the promise, but the blessing of the land is stated as being for the Patriarchs and their seed. However, in Genesis 15, God also specified the timing of that future event to be after the sojourn to Egypt and the subsequent return from Egypt. The Exodus and the time of the conquest is when God actually gave the whole Land to Israel as a divine possession, though to this day the nation of Israel has never enjoyed all of the Promised Land. A distinction must be made then, between the divine ownership of the Land by a divine title deed and the actual possession of the Land. Ownership was rendered unconditional on the basis of the Abrahamic Covenant and reaffirmed by the Palestinian or Land Covenant; and this came fully into effect once the Jews entered the Land under Joshua. But possession of the Land is based upon Israel's obedience, as was stated in the Mosaic Covenant. For that reason, even to this day the Jews have never enjoyed all of the Promised Land, and even now find themselves withdrawing from territories they've held since 1967. Israel will never possess all of the Land that God promised to their seed until they become a saved nation, recognize Jesus Christ as their Messiah, at which point the Messiah will give it to them. But true ownership of the Promised Land is a Biblical fact, and God's promise of restoration is in full swing! Thus the Abrahamic Covenant is still relevant to the controversy over the “possession of the land” that is so prevalent in our news today.

Question # 97 What is the significance of the Star of David, and does it hold any Biblical significance to God's plan for Israel?

Answer…… The Hebrew word Magen David means “the Shield of David,” and not “the Star of David.” It is called the Shield of David because Jewish tradition holds that David wore this particular insignia on his own shield. There exist no Biblical or historical validity to this story however. The Star of David became a common Jewish symbol for Jewish identity and nationality in the Middle Ages, and thus has no Biblical relevance.

Question # 98 Can you explain the discrepancy between the Jewish (5763) and Western (2002) calendars. Also, how did the term, “before the common era” (B.C.E.) originate?

Answer……. I am not an expert in the field of mathematical calendar analysis. But I do know that the primary reason for the difference between the Christian and Jewish calendars is because the Christian (or Gregorian) calendar is an attempt to begin measuring time with the year of Christ's birth, although it is in error by from 2-7 years. The Jewish calendar is based upon Rabbinic calculations from Creation. Thus Jewish Rabbis believe that Creation occurred 5763 years ago. Also as the Christian calendar is off by about 2-7 years, the Jewish calendar is off by as much as 250 years. In any event, it has been about 6000 years since Adam was created. The references of B.C. (before Christ) and A.D. (the year of our Lord) are based upon the Christian dating system. People who have no affinity for Jesus place in history simply prefer to opt for different designations for the same time periods: B.C.E. ( B.C.) and C.E., “common era” ( A.D.).

Question # 99 A lot of emphasis seems to be placed on finding the lost Ark of the Covenant. The Ark of the Covenant is not listed among the items stolen or destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in Jeremiah 52:13-19. Might it have been swept away up to heaven where it seems to appear again in heaven in Revelation 11:19?

Answer........ Regarding the Ark of the Covenant, Jeremiah 52 does not even mention the Ark of the Covenant. II Kings 25 and II Chronicles 36 list specifically the temple items that King Nebuchadnezzar took with him to Babylon. Items originally from the Temple that were not taken to Babylon were likely destroyed by the great fire. In fact, II Chronicles 36:19 says that Nebuchadnezzar burned the Temple down with fire and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof. All Nebuchadnezzar had to do was strip the gold off the Ark and the rest of the wood in the Ark would have burned in that fire. If the Ark was snatched off into heaven, the Bible would surely have mentioned that fact. I think that it is highly unlikely that the Ark was translated into Heaven since it was a man-made object. The reference in Revelation 11:19 fails to convey any credibility to the Heavenly Ark being the same as the earthly Ark. It should be remembered that the whole Tabernacle structure that Moses made was a copy of the Tabernacle already existing in heaven. It is the heavenly Tabernacle that Christ has now entered into, and that Heavenly Tabernacle is a Tabernacle entirely not made with human hands (Hebrews 9:11-12). The discovery of an earthly mystical Ark of the Covenant today would only likely serve the self-serving purposes of the Antichrist.

Question # 100 Do you think that President Bush is a Christian? Do you think that he has any idea what part Israel plays in Bible Prophecy, and do you think that he is aware the significance of the current Israeli-Arab Conflict in the Last Days?

Answer……… I really do believe that President Bush is a good Christian man, and is sincere in his faith. I think that he realizes that the nation of Israel is a Divinely appointed nation, and that the United States ought to befriend Israel. However, it is my earnest opinion that President Bush is unfamiliar with the significance of Bible Prophecy as it relates to the current Israeli-Arab Conflict. He has routinely called Israel, “our friend” and steadfastly supports Israel's right-to-exist, but unfortunately he does not seem to be knowledgeable about the prophetic implications concerning diplomatically coercing Israel into compromises regarding the Covenant Land. President Bush obviously faces many powerful pressures and influences from within the world of international geo-political intrigue, as evidenced by his recent flip-flop stances with Israel and the War-on-terrorism. President Bush and many within his Cabinet seem to be competing with the powerful influences of Globalist ideologues in conducting American foreign policy. President Bush truly needs the prayers of all Christians!

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