August 29, 2010
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LIVING ON BORROWED TIME - DVD
A morally and spiritually bankrupt society …A worldwide economic meltdown…A planet racked with increasingly intense manmade and natural disasters…Are we the Final Generation?
Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Matthew 24:42-44
Reviews: The DVD should be seen by small groups and youth ministries far and wide. The clear quoting and referencing of bible verses is especially strong. The collage of dramatic imagery - both in photography and artwork, grabs the viewers' attention and weaves the conclusion that God is about to continue His plan in a major way. The video is so fresh - the oil explosion and spill in the Gulf of Mexico is shown as one example of how this old world is wearing out and is in flames
The video next defends the authorship and reliability of the bible before showing eight unmistakable developments in our world that point toward the soon return of the Lord Jesus Christ. The number one sign given to our generation is the return of the Jewish people to form the nation of Israel. Jesus Christ is now standing at the door waiting to take his beloved bride- His true believers. Like the admonition from the Book of Jude, verse 23, I pray that this DVD will be used by the Holy Spirit to pluck dying people out of the fire before the borrowed time runs out. - John Wicklund - Chair- Olive Tree Ministries Board of Directors - Maple Grove, MN
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God bless you, the new DVD is amazing! I know that if there is anyone out there who doesn't know what the bible holds or has no clue about what is really going on after seeing this DVD they will surely be enlightened about what is truly going on in the world today. - The Taylor's - Bakersfield, CA
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Israel prepping for war with Iran? - By Jerome R. Corsi – www.wnd.com
Jewish state orders military fuel from U.S. Defense Department
Increasing speculation it may be preparing for a military assault on Iran or a regional war involving Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, Israel has placed its largest order of military fuel with the United States on record.
The Jewish state, earlier this month, ordered 284 million gallons of JP-8 aviation jet fuel, 100 million gallons of diesel fuel and 60 million gallons of unleaded gasoline – all suitable for military uses – at an estimated cost of $2 billion.
"It would be inappropriate for us to comment about what actions Israel may take or how they will use their fuel," Marine Corps Major Chris Perrine, a public affairs officer at the Department of Defense, told WND. "I would note, however, that it would take a lot more than fuel to attack a country or wage a regional war."
The sale was detailed in an Aug. 5 notification the Defense Security Cooperation Agency of the U.S. Department of Defense posted on its website, in compliance with the requirement to give Congress advance notice of foreign military sales.
"The proposed sale of the JP-8 aviation fuel will enable Israel to maintain the operational capability of its aircraft inventory," the notification to Congress said. "The unleaded gasoline and diesel fuel will be used for ground forces' vehicles and other equipment used in keeping peace and security in the region. Israel will have no difficulty absorbing this additional fuel into its armed forces."
By comparison, the last fuel order Israel placed with the U.S. was July 15, 2008, when Israel ordered 186 million gallons of JP-8 aviation jet fuel, 54 million gallons of diesel fuel and 28 million gallons of unleaded gasoline at an estimated cost of $1.3 billion.
Prior to that, Israel ordered 90 million gallons of JP-8 aviation jet fuel and 42 million gallons of diesel fuel Aug. 24, 2007, for an estimated cost of $308 million; and an unspecified amount of JP-8 aviation jet fuel July 14, 2006, for an estimated cost of $210 million.
Israel's last two military operations were the summer 2006 Lebanon War that last a little over one month and the Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza from Dec. 27, 2008, to Jan. 21, 2009.
Atomic Iran
Tensions in the Middle East have escalated since Iran made its nuclear power plant at Bushehr operational with the assistance of Russia earlier this month.
John Bolton, a former U.S. ambassador to the U.N., has warned repeatedly that Bushehr would be much more difficult for Israel to attack after it went operational, largely because any military strike would release radioactivity that could be harmful to the civilian population.
Israel's unwillingness to attack the Iranian nuclear power plant at Bushehr before it went operational has caused considerable controversy within Israel.
Writing in the Jerusalem Post, columnist Caroline Glick observed that from a military perspective, the longer Israel waits to attack, the harder it will be for Israel "to accomplish the mission."
Focusing much of the blame on Israel's Defense Minister Ehud Barack, Glick commented, "Barak's strategic ineptitude is legendary."
Still, many signs point to continuing tensions in the Middle East that could easily escalate into war.
Olli Heinonen, the former head of U.N. nuclear inspections worldwide, claimed this week that Iran has stockpiled enough low-enriched uranium to make one to two nuclear bombs.
A The Jerusalem Post reported Aug. 20 reports are circulating in the region that Frederick Hoff, assistant to U.S. Middle East peace envoy George Mitchell, told Lebanese Army chief of staff Jean Kahwaji that Israel was ready to implement a plan to destroy within four hours all Lebanese military infrastructure, including army bases and offices, should another border-fire incident occur between Lebanese military and the Israel Defense Forces.
Meanwhile, Iran has maintained an aggressive posture after activating Bushehr, successfully test-firing a third-generation surface-to-surface solid-fuel Fateh 110 missile with a 150-mile range and unveiling an Iran-manufactured drone bomber with a flight range of 620 miles.
Nevertheless, the White House cautions that Iran is not on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon.
Last week, Gary Samone, President Obama's top adviser on nuclear issues, was quoted as saying it would take one year for Iran to make "a dash" to convert existing low-enriched uranium to weapons-grade and to develop the nuclear warhead required for a working weapon.
Moreover, tensions between Israel and the Palestinians appear to be easing on the eve of resumed peace negotiations.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed an interest in meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas every two weeks as the two enter into direct peace talks next week in Washington.
US to sell Israel massive military fuel stocks worth $2 bn – www.debka.com
On Aug. 6, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency, DSCA, informed Congress of the sale to Israel of 60 million gallons of unleaded gasoline, 284 million gallons of JP-8 aviation jet fuel and 100 million gallons of diesel fuel at an estimated cost of two billion dollars. The date is significant, debkafile's intelligence sources find. Ten days earlier, the Japanese tanker M.Star was attacked in Omani waters of the Strait of Hormuz with 200,000 tons of oil.
Although American experts who examined the vessel, they never attributed the damage to sabotage by Iran or al Qaeda, despite the latter's claim of responsibility on Aug. 4 While Washington did its best to sweep the incident under the rug, Saudi intelligence were worried enough about the threat inching dangerously close to the Gulf's oil exporting lifeline to launch an independent investigation of the incident.
Their investigators discovered it was staged by a Saudi terrorist who operates out of Iran under the orders of the Revolutionary Guards. To Riyadh, the episode looked like a blunt warning from Tehran to Washington and its allies about the consequences - not just of a direct strike against Iran's nuclear facilities, but the possibility of sanctions upsetting the equilibrium of the Islamic regime.
Blockage of the Strait of Hormuz would cut off Israel's primary source of fuel. Therefore, our sources report, a series of accords, some of them secret, have been transacted to back up America's standing commitment to keep Israel supplied with its energy needs in the event of armed conflict or crisis on world fuel markets.
In its request to Congress to approve the sale, the DSCA noted:
"The proposed sale of the JP-B aviation fuel will enable Israel to maintain the operational capability of its aircraft inventory. The unleaded gasoline and diesel fuel will be used for ground forces' vehicles and other equipment used in keeping peace and security in the region. Israel will have no difficulty absorbing this additional fuel into its armed forces."
debkafile adds: Israel is therefore ready and able to absorb this huge injection of military-purpose fuels.
Tehran published its response through an item on the Tabanak Website on Saturday, Aug. 28. It was headlined in large capitals: ISRAEL ORDERS MASSIVE MLITARY FUEL STOCKS FAR IN EXCESS OF THAT REQUIRED FOR NORMAL OPERATIONS. Our Iranian sources report that this site belongs to Mohsen Rezaei, ex-commander of the Revolutionary Guards and much respected in the highest Iranian military and intelligence circles.
The Iranian site goes on to cite bloggers' comments, the most quoted of which comes from an anonymous ex-US Air Force officer, who wrote on Aug. 27:
"I explained, as I have in the past, how it would be necessary for the US to supply the massive amounts of fuel need for such a [-n Israeli] strike. If Israel were to strike Iran, Israel would only require the massive amounts of jet fuel and over a billion liters of jet fuel would be more than enough to do the job in practical terms."
According to debkafile's military experts, the shelf life of JP-8 jet fuel is not long - no more than six to eight months.
Also Saturday, the Kuwait Al-Rai claimed that Israel is making its last preparations for an attack on the Hizballah missile stores located in Syria close to the Lebanese border, for which an IDF armored division has been called up.
Report: Israel planning to attack Hezbollah arms depots in Syria – Jack Khourv – www.haaretz.com
The Kuwaiti newspaper Al Rai reports that Israel is preparing to strike Hezbollah targets in Syria; Al-Arabi Al-Quds reports that western diplomats have asked Bashar Assad to refrain from interfering with Israel-PA direct peace talks.
Israel is planning to attack Hezbollah arms depots and weapons manufacturing plants in Syria, the Kuwaiti newspaper Al Rai reported on Saturday.
The report is based on Western sources who asserted that Israel has increased its military force level along the northern border in the Golan Heights and Mount Dov areas.
The report cited European sources who claimed that recent Israeli unmanned aerial drone flights over Lebanon and Syria signal Israel's intentions to carry out operations in the area.
According to the report, Israel plans to attack Hezbollah weapons depots, including ones deep inside Syria that store long-range rockets.
The Al Rai report said that the situation on the Israel-Syria border is tense and that Syria could respond immediately to any Israeli attack and not demonstrate the restraint that it did after the Israeli Air Force bombed a suspected nuclear reactor in Syria in the fall of 2007.
According to the report, Syria's military is on high alert and is strengthening its anti-aircraft defenses along the border with Israel and at strategic sites within Syria.
Western diplomats to Assad: Don't interfere in Israel-PA talks
Also on Saturday, the Al-Quds Al-Arabi newspaper reported that western nations, including the United States, have in recent days asked Syria to refrain from negatively interfering with the upcoming direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, set to open next week in Washington.
According to the report, American officials expressed their firm opposition to Syrian President Bashar Assad taking any position or exerting any influence on the talks, as they fear that another failure of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians could lead to even graver consequences than did past failed talks.
The report said that Assad was also asked to restrain Palestinian militant organizations that operate on Syrian territory, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
Iran to make long-range artillery ammo - www.jpost.com
Teheran unveils advance in arsenal, demands US change attitude.
Iran unveiled a new artillery shell on Sunday, vastly improving its arsenal's range. Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said the new 130 millimeter advanced artillery shells will be far outstrip the previous capabilities of the Islamic Republic's army, Press TV reported on Sunday. “This ammunition uses solid propellants and act like ballistic missiles,” the Iranian defense minister noted.
Vahidi also lauded Iranian experts in the arms production division of the country's defense industries for their efforts to further enhance the range of the artillery ammunition from 27 to 42 kilometers.
The defense minister also said such achievements demonstrate that sanctions against Iran have been ineffective.
Last Wednesday Vahidi announced that Iran had tested a new surface-to-surface missile equipped with an upgraded guidance control system. The defense minister said the third generation of the Fateh- 110, which means “conqueror” in Farsi, was equipped with a high accuracy guidance control system. He said the solid-fuel missile was developed domestically by Iran’s Aerospace Industries Organization and tested on Wednesday.
In related news, Iran also on Sunday demanded that the US drop its aggressive attitude towards Teheran if it would like an improvement in relations between the two countries.
"If the US seriously seeks to revive relations with Iran, it should make changes in its attitude. Washington should prove that it will never repeat previous mistakes and will not pursue misguided and hostile policies towards the Iranian nations," said Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Ramin Mehmanparast in comments to the Fars News Agency cited by Press TV.
He continued, "However, there is no reason to prepare the grounds for establishing relations at the time the US attacks other countries, violates rights of nations and sees its interest in war and massacre."
Egypt police seize missiles, ammunition bound for Gaza - By Avi Issacharoff – www.haaretz.com
Palestinian news agency Ma'an reports that Egypt police raided several secret weapons depots in Sinai, discovered 190 fully assembled anti-aircraft missiles.
Egyptian police on Saturday raided several arms depots in Sinai, believed to hold weapons meant for smuggling into Gaza, the Palestinian news agency Ma'an reported.
According to the report, the Egyptian police uncovered secret caches of explosives in a desert in the center of the Sinai peninsula. The caches held 190 fully assembled anti-aircraft missiles and rockets in addition to explosives and ammunition.
One cache containing 100 anti-aircraft missiles was uncovered in Al-Hasana, and another, containing 90 of the missiles, was discovered in Ad-Daqqaq. A third cache, holding 1,500 bullets of various sizes, was found in Nakhl, Ma'an reported.
The news agency added that several additional secret depots were raided in the city of Rafah, some 3 kilometers from the border with Gaza, where ten anti-tank mines were seized.
Drugs were also seized in the raids. 50 kilograms of hashish were taken, and several suspected drug dealers detained.
Netanyahu: We can reach a peace that will last for generations – Barik Ravid – www.haaretz.com
Israel and the Palestinians can secure an enduring peace agreement in Washington - not just a tactical lull in hostilities, prime minister says.
As he prepared to fly to Washington to renew peace talks with the Palestinians, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel had the chance to secure a stable peace that could endure for generations.
"I am convinced that if the Palestinian leadership takes the negotiations as seriously as we do, we can reach a stable agreement - not just a deal for a tactical ceasefire between wars," Netanyahu told ministers at the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem.
"We can reach a peace based on stability for us and for our children and that is my goal," he said.
But ahead of Netanyahu's trip to the United States, where U.S. President Barack Obama will formally preside over the reopening of talks on Wednesday, Palestinians still doubt the prime minister's commitment to peace.
Netanyahu has so far refused to address Palestinian demands to continue a 10-month freeze on the building of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, due to expire on September 26.
Immediately before Sunday's cabinet session, Netanyahu dismissed a proposal by Deputy Prime Minister Dan Meridor, under which construction would restart only in major settlement blocks near the Green Line, expected to become part of Israel under an eventual deal.
"Meridor's comments represent his personal position and not that of the government," Army Radio quoted Netanyahu as saying.
The Palestinians have repeatedly threatened to walk out of talks if building continues and, in the absence of Israeli guarantees, remain cagey on what format the negotiations should take.
On Saturday chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat rejected Netanyahu's proposal to hold a face-to-face meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas every two weeks.
It was too early to determine times, dates and participants in meetings between the sides and the main issue was still the freeze, Erekat said.
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Barack Obama 'to visit Jerusalem and Ramallah to press for peace' – Mark Weiss – www.telegraph.co.uk
President Barack Obama will visit Jerusalem in coming months to press for a Middle East peace deal to be signed this year and implemented within a decade, according to a leaked White House report.
Obama will make his first visit as president to Israel and the West Bank to persuade both sides to agree to concessions for the sake of peace Photo: AFP/GETTY The US president's peace plan calls for Israel and the Palestinian Authority to hold a series of regular meetings over the coming year.
Mr Obama, who set Middle East peace as one of his top foreign policy goals when he assumed office in 2009, will make his first visit as president to Israel and the West Bank to persuade both sides to agree to concessions for the sake of peace.
Mr Obama will oversee the relaunch of direct talks between the two sides next week in Washington.
Although Washington is pushing for a comprehensive peace deal within 12 months, implementation will be spread out over a 10-year period, according to a report in Yediot Aharonot, the Israeli newspaper.
Washington wants the intensive talks to cover core issues, including borders, refugees and the future status of Jerusalem, according to the leaked White House protocols of a conference call held this week between senior administration officials and American Jewish leaders.
If the sides fail to reach an agreement on a particular issue, US officials will intervene and offer a compromise, the report said.
At the same time, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, and Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, will meet regularly, the paper reported, citing the leaked report.
Such a strategy should appeal to Mr Netanyahu, who has proposed face-to-face talks with Mr Abbas every fortnight.
"Real negotiations in the Middle East are only direct, quiet and continuous talks between the leaders on the fundamental issues. This is why I offered to hold the talks in this format", he said on Thursday.
Washington will introduce its own bridging proposals if the sides reach a deadlock in the talks.
American pressure will also be exerted on friendly Arab states to make moves towards normalization of relations with Israel.
However, the US president will have a difficult task ahead of him, as Israeli and American officials are still debating how to breach the first major hurdle expected in the talks: the end of Israel's 10-month West Bank settlement freeze on September 26th.
Jordan sees speed as key to Mideast peace talks - Randa Habib – www.news.yahoo.com
AMMAN (AFP) – Jordan's King Abdullah II, who met Israel's defense minister on Sunday, said success in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks will depend on speedy progress before extremism returns to centre stage.
"I don't think we should put a one-year target date," Abdullah said in an interview with Israel's TV1 late on Saturday ahead of the direct talks being relaunched in Washington this week.
"I believe words coming out of the United States is within one year (for a two-state settlement). Why wait for one year? The longer we wait, the more we give people a chance to create violence," he said.
After the opening in Washington on Wednesday, attended by Abdullah and Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas are to launch direct talks the following day.
"It is the willingness of the leaders on the second day to really solve this problem, which is really going to be the deciding factor of how the Middle East is going to shape itself over the next 10 years," said Abdullah.
A senior Jordanian official, meanwhile, said his country and Egypt, the only two Arab states to have signed peace treaties with Israel, are "cautiously optimistic, because historically such meetings have led to no success."
On Netanyahu, the official said the Israeli leader "does not want to commit to anything but he says he is in a hurry and would like to finalize it all in six months."
Jordan's advice to Abbas was: "Try to be positive. Don't say 'no,' you can say 'yes, but'."
On Sunday, Abdullah told visiting Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak that the negotiations "should be dealt with in a serious way," the palace said. Middle East peace was "of strategic interest for the region and the world."
The king, in the television interview, stressed that Israel's future in the region was at stake in the process being launched in the US capital after several past failures.
"We have to have the strength of our convictions to take the tough steps over the next couple of weeks and hopefully that will lead into a process that is not just between Israelis and Palestinians," he said.
"The bigger picture for the Israeli people is, Israel's integration in the Arab-Islamic world. That's the prize. But we need to start it in Washington."
Abdullah warned the military dynamics in the Middle East had changed, with the Jewish state waging short wars on average every two years in the absence of a settlement with the Palestinians.
"Today the dynamics have changed. Conflict with Israel today is not necessarily to win against Israel but to survive. Therefore that opens the dynamics to a completely different threat towards Israel," he said.
"Is it going to be fortress Israel ... or are we going to have the courage to break down those walls and bring peoples together and eventually bring full security to the Israeli people?" he asked.
"But if the Israelis and Palestinians are sitting at the table and solving their problems, then all of those elements that are trying to work for the destruction of Israel will have no longer a justification.
"What's happening in Washington is not just about the Israelis and Palestinians. It's about Israel's future with the Arabs and Israel's future with the Muslim world."
Israel: Potential of 4 Billion Barrels of Oil Offshore - Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu - www.israelnationalnews.com
More optimistic reports continue to flow from the giant Leviathan energy field off the Haifa coast. Following previous higher estimates of gas and “signs of oil,” the latest report points to a potential of 4 billion barrels of “black gold.”
The ramifications of the discovery are immense. If the estimates materialize, Israel will become self-sufficient in energy, enjoy a boon of employment for engineers and laborers, and will become an exporter of gas and oil. The shekel, barring a conflict with Hizbullah or Iran, may become rock-solid, dropping the representative rate; Israel's shekel is now worth about 26.3 cents (3.8 shekels) to the dollar.
The announcement of the new estimates states that there is a 17 percent chance of finding reserves equal to 3 billion barrels of oil at a depth of slightly more than a mile undersea. The oil field is slightly beneath the mammoth gas reserves that already have been estimated to contain 13 trillion cubic feet of gas.
There also is an 8 percent chance that another 1.2 billion barrels exist at an even lower level. Earlier this month, oil reserves at Rosh HaAyin, east of Tel Aviv and bordering Samaria, were estimated to have a possible potential of 1.5 billion barrels of oil but that commercial quantities will be much lower, if at all. Israel's estimated oil consumption is slightly less than 100 million barrels a year.
Yitzchak Teshuva, head of the Delek Group that is part of the consortium probing the Leviathan field, has jubilantly exclaimed that the gas reserves will turn Israel into an energy exporter.
Officials added that a decision on whether to drill for the oil reserves will not be made before October, when drilling for the gas reserves at “Leviathan 1” is to begin at a cost of $150 million. The operation will last five months, and a decision on drilling for oil may await the results of the gas exploration; analysts have emphasized that the chances of huge oil reserves are only 17 percent. However, every previous report has so far proven to be overly conservative.
A South African company will head the drilling, but if a decision is made to drill at deeper levels for oil, a North American company with experience at those levels will be contracted.
The estimated gas reserves already have encouraged government officials to sell back to Egypt natural gas that Israel is committed to buy. In addition, Prime Minister Netanyahu reportedly suggested to Greece that it buy natural gas from Israel.
The energy discovery has brought two headaches: several Finance ministry officials want to hike the royalties on gas and oil discoveries to add more money to government coffers, raising heated protests from the energy consortium. Secondly, Hizbullah and Lebanon are claiming that the Leviathan reserves are in Lebanese territorial waters, and have threatened war with Israel over the energy field.
The Leviathan discovery is separate from the Tamar field, located to the south, which also is estimated to contain huge gas reserves that could possibly supply Israel’s gas needs at least until 2030.
Russian subs stalk Trident in echo of Cold War – Thomas Harding – www.telegraph.co.uk
Russian submarines are hunting down British Vanguard boats in a return to Cold War tactics not seen for 25 years, Navy chiefs have warned.
A specially upgraded Russian Akula class submarine has been caught trying to record the acoustic signature made by the Vanguard submarines that carry Trident nuclear missiles, according to senior Navy officers.
British submariners have also reported that they are experiencing the highest number of "contacts" with Russian submarines since 1987.
If the Russians are able to obtain a recording of the unique noise of the boat's propellers it would have serious implications for Britain's nuclear deterrent. Using its sophisticated sonar, the Akula would be able to track Vanguards and potentially sink them before they could launch their Trident D4 missiles.
The Daily Telegraph has learnt that, within the past six months, a Russian Akula entered the North Atlantic and attempted to track a Vanguard. The incident has remained secret until now.
It is understood that the Russians stood off Faslane, where the British nuclear force is based, and waited for a Trident-carrying boat to come out for its three-month patrol to provide the Continuous At Sea Deterrent.
While patrolling in the North Atlantic, there are a limited number of places the Vanguard is permitted to go and it is thought that the Akula attempted to track it on several occasions.
Navy commanders are understood to have ordered a Trafalgar-class hunter-killer submarine to protect the Vanguard. A recording of the Akula was made by the Trafalgar submarine's sonar operators and has been played to The Daily Telegraph.
"The Russians have been playing games with us, the Americans and French in the North Atlantic," a senior Navy commander said.
"We have put a lot of resources into protecting Trident because we cannot afford by any stretch to let the Russians learn the acoustic profile of one of our bombers as that would compromise the deterrent."
Wealthy – a relative term – Greg Laurie – www.wnd.com and www.harvest.org
I have heard it said that if you have money in the bank, in your wallet and spare change in a dish somewhere else, you are among the top 8 percent of the world's wealthy. When I think about this, I realize that, in a sense, I am wealthy.
Are there people who have more than me? Of course there are. Are there people who have less than me? Absolutely. Wealthy is a relative term. It all depends on whom we compare ourselves to. If you compare yourself to someone living in Beverly Hills, then you probably are not wealthy. But when compared to a mega-millionaire, perhaps someone in Beverly Hills would think she is not all that wealthy. And a mega-millionaire may not perceive himself as wealthy when compared to Bill Gates.
There is always someone with more. And there is always someone with less. But it is my belief the lowest American on the rung of our economic ladder would be considered rich in comparison to a good portion of humanity living in the rest of the world, especially in developing nations.
So whether we have more or whether we have less, how should we be living? What does the Bible have to say on the subject? We are told in 1 Timothy 6:17–18:
Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. (NIV)
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Three instructions are given in these verses for the person who has resources.
First, don't be arrogant or put your ultimate hope in that wealth, because it is uncertain. Not only that, you can't take it with you. I have never seen a hearse pulling a U-Haul. That which is valuable on earth has no value in heaven, and often that which is undervalued on earth has maximum value in heaven.
Second, enjoy what God has given you. Notice we are not told to feel guilty about what we have. Sometimes people will suggest there is virtue in poverty, but the Bible doesn't teach that. One story that is often cited is that of the rich young ruler. After an exchange with Jesus about what he must do to inherit eternal life, Jesus told him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me" (Matthew 19:21 NIV). Sometimes people will refer to this story as though it were a prerequisite for being a Christian. But Jesus said this to only one man, only one time. And the reason he said it to that man in particular was that he was ruled by his possessions. This was proven by the fact that he was unwilling to give them up when Jesus told him to.
I am surprised at how often I hear the misquote, "Money is the root of all evil." The Bible does not say this. What it does say is, "The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs" (1 Timothy 6:10 NIV, emphasis mine).
There is a difference. You can have a lot of money and not necessarily love it. Or, you can have very little money and love it a lot. It is not even how much you have; it is your attitude toward it. Money is neutral. It is not moral or immoral; it is amoral. The problem with wealth is not in having it. It is when it has you. It is how we get it, how we guard it and how we give it. It can be used for good or for bad.
The Bible tells us that God can and will bless a person, and that can include monetary blessing. However, I don't subscribe to the teaching of some who say that God wants every Christian to be healthy, wealthy and have unlimited resources. Nor do I subscribe to the idea that God wants every believer to be impoverished. I know that God can bless a person materially. The pages of the Bible include believers who had resources in varying degrees, such as Abraham, David, Joseph of Arimathea and Barnabas, to name a few. God can bless Christians in this way. So if God has blessed you with things, go ahead and enjoy them.
Third, use your money to do good. You can tell a lot about a person's spirituality by his or her giving – or lack thereof. Jesus said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:21 NIV). It has been said that we should give until it hurts, but Jesus taught that it should hurt when we cease to give. It is a real test of our faithfulness to God.
I find it interesting that the Bible tells us Jesus paid attention to what people did with their money. Mark 12:41 tells us, "Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. ..." (NIV) He watched as wealthy people put in large amounts, and then he saw a widow drop in two small coins. He called his disciples over and told them, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on" (verses 43–44 NIV). Jesus didn't condemn the others, but he reserved his praise for this woman. It wasn't a performance on her part; she simply carried out the act of giving. Jesus saw her give, and he sees when we give as well.
God will not be your debtor. Whatever you have given up for him has been duly noted by God himself. It is a blessing to give. Yet a lot of people have not yet discovered this blessing in their lives.
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Sons of Oil - This Week’s Feature Article by Jack Kelley – www.gracethrufaith.com
Then the angel who talked with me returned and wakened me, as a man is wakened from his sleep. He asked me, “What do you see?”
I answered, “I see a solid gold lamp stand with a bowl at the top and seven lights on it, with seven channels to the lights. Also there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.”
I asked the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?”
He answered, “Do you not know what these are?”
“No, my lord,” I replied.
So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.
“What are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’ ”
Then the word of the LORD came to me: “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you.
“Who despises the day of small things? Men will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.
“(These seven are the eyes of the LORD, which range throughout the earth.)” (Zechariah 4:1-10)
The Hebrew word for plumb line can also mean chosen stone and I think both meanings are in view here. The plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand signifies his supervision of the Temple’s construction. The chosen stone represents the Messiah (1 Peter 2:6) and the seven eyes mean He sees everything. This tells us the Lord Himself is the project manager.
Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lamp stand?”
Again I asked him, “What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?”
He replied, “Do you not know what these are?”
“No, my lord,” I said.
So he said, “These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth.” (Zech 4:11-14)
What Time Is It?
It was February 15, 519 BC. Twenty years earlier the Jews had come back to Jerusalem after 70 years of captivity in Babylon, and following several abortive attempts had given up trying to rebuild their Temple.
To justify quitting, some had speculated that the reason for their difficulty was that the time wasn’t right (Haggai 1:2). So God sent them two prophets, Haggai to admonish them and Zechariah to encourage them, and it had worked. On the day Haggai spoke his 2nd message to them, they had begun work on the Temple again.
But the task seemed so intimidating. The older ones could still remember Solomon’s Temple, destroyed in the siege of Jerusalem some 90 years earlier after standing in the city for nearly 400 years. In Solomon’s time the nation was wealthy beyond measure and they were at peace with all their neighbors. But now they were just a rag-tag group of ex-captives, constantly harassed by their enemies. How would they ever hope to replace their beautiful Temple, so costly and magnificent?
And The Answer is …
During that long February night in 519 BC Zechariah had a series of visions, eight in all. The one above was the Lord’s answer to their questions about the Temple. Yes they had possessed much wealth and had many resources during Solomon’s time, and now they had precious little. But this temple would be built just the same. “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,” said the Lord (Zech. 4:6).
Three years later the Temple was completed, and while it couldn’t compare to the splendor and glory of the earlier Temple of Solomon, Haggai had promised them that the glory of this Temple would exceed that of the first one (Haggai 2:9), and he was right. It was modified and renovated beyond recognition, first during the Hasmonean period that followed the Macabbean revolt, and then again by King Herod. Of this Temple the rabbis would say, “One who has not seen the Temple from the time of Herod has never seen a magnificent building.” But more than that, it was the Temple visited by the Lord during His time on earth.
Got Oil?
And with what symbolism did the Lord represent His Spirit in Zechariah’s vision? Oil. Oil from the olive trees, sustaining the only source of light in the Temple, the seven-branched lamp stand called the menorah. It’s from verses like these that oil has come to stand for the Holy Spirit when used symbolically.
Often the Holy Spirit’s work is accomplished through men and women set apart for the purpose, also explained in the vision.
Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lamp stand?”
Again I asked him, “What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?”
He replied, “Do you not know what these are?”
“No, my lord,” I said.
So he said, “These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth.” (Zech 4:11-14)
In Israel the High Priest and the Ruler were always anointed with oil symbolizing their calling. In Zechariah’s time they were Joshua and Zerubbabel. In the Church today, we anoint with oil those we believe the Lord has called to minister to us or govern over us. The oil signifies our belief that the Holy Spirit has set them apart for this purpose and is working through them. When we anoint the sick with oil, as instructed in James 5:14, we’re symbolizing the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit to perform a healing miracle in them. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well (James 5:15). Oil, the symbol of the Holy Spirit.
Double Vision
Frequently the messages of prophets concerned events far in the future. In those cases the Lord arranged a double fulfillment of the prophecies He gave them. The first one was only a partial fulfillment, and took place fairly soon. Its purpose was to validate the prophecy so the people would know it truly came from the Lord. This protected the credibility of the prophet (Deut. 18:21-22) and verified the accuracy of the long-term fulfillment for the generation that would experience it in the future.
A good example is the prophecy of the virgin birth given by Isaiah (Isa. 7:14). In giving it, Isaiah used a Hebrew word that could mean either virgin or young woman. This was to permit a partial fulfillment in his time that would validate the prophecy.
And sure enough, a short time later Isaiah’s wife became pregnant and gave birth to a boy the Lord called Immanuel. As he had prophesied, before the boy was old enough to speak, the Northern Kingdom was overrun by the Assyrians. (Isa. 8:1-10) The partial fulfillment had come to pass.
Six hundred years later, after Isaiah, his family, and the Assyrian invasion were ancient history, Jewish scholars translating Isaiah’s writings into Greek saw the future Messianic fulfillment in the prophecy. They chose a word that could only describe a woman who has never experienced sexual intercourse, because they believed it spoke of a virgin birth. One hundred fifty years after that, the Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus.
While both fulfillments contained specific outcomes that were important in Israel’s history, a young woman giving birth was hardly the unique event that Isaiah needed to show the nation that God was with them (“Immanuel” in Hebrew). That would take nothing less than the only virgin birth in human history, which by the way also fulfilled a prophecy given to the serpent in the Garden. The “Seed of the Woman” (a biological impossibility) would bring about his downfall.
Two More Sons Of Oil
In Zech. 4:11-14 we have one of those double fulfillments. First the immediate one; Zerubbabel the Governor and Joshua the High Priest would be God’s two anointed ones (literally sons of oil), charged with completing the Temple construction. In the vision they were the two olive trees from whom the oil flowed, signifying the Holy Spirit working through them. In the process, Zechariah’s appointment as a prophet was confirmed as promised in verse 8 of his vision, since Zerubbabel, who started the project, also completed it. “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you.”
But the use of the phrase “Lord of all the Earth” in verse 14 is a clue to another later fulfillment. It’s used only four times in scripture, twice in Joshua 3 where the Lord stopped the flow of the Jordan River so the people could cross on dry ground, here in Zech. 4, and in Revelation 11:4 the only other place where it’s used in conjunction with two men called by God for extraordinary service. (Four is often called the number of the earth because on the fourth day the creation of earth itself was complete. Then it was populated. Day five brought fish and birds, and on day 6 animals and man were created.)
These men are the two witnesses who will be sent to Israel to display signs and wonders during the Great Tribulation. Performing the miracles of Moses and Elijah and preaching the sermons of Peter and Paul, they too will be “sons of oil,” set apart for miraculous work, anointed with the Holy Spirit for extraordinary service, and supernaturally protected by Him till their ministry is complete. “And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two lamp stands that stand before the Lord of the earth.” (Rev. 11:4) The wording is straight out of Zechariah’s vision.
Beginning just before the Great Tribulation and lasting for 1260 days, their ministry bridges the two halves of Daniel’s 70th week. Their purpose is to prepare Israel for the coming Messiah in the ultimate fulfillment of another dual prophecy. This one appears throughout the Old and New Testaments, and is the two comings of the Messiah.
When their ministry is complete, the Lord will remove His supernatural protection and they’ll be killed in the streets of Jerusalem. In the ultimate sign of contempt they’ll be denied burial, their bodies left in the street where they fall. But in one final unmistakable message, they’ll rise from the dead three and a half days later, ascending into heaven in full view of an astonished world. Shortly afterward, the Spirit of grace and supplication will sweep over God’s people and their eyes will be opened to the Messiah, the one they have pierced (Zech 12:10). Once again two sons of oil will have accomplished their mission. ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.
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