Hamas: How dare Israel blow up our women and children! (Cartoons)

Political Cartoons by Glenn McCoy

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Political Cartoon by Chip Bok

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Political Cartoon by Lisa Benson

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Political Cartoons by Gary Varvel

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The End is Not Yet (Norman Willis)

We may be near the End, but of course the End is not yet. Norman Willis (aka, Yosef ben Ruach), from Nazarene Israel, has some interesting and compelling insights in his post below (Note: Willis does see America as Mystery Babylon, but also sees it as a land inhabited by a very large Ephraimite and Jewish population).

The End is Not Yet
By servant@nazareneisrael.org

Matthew 24:6
6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

Shalom, Nazarenes.

Lately I have been receiving a number of troubled inquiries from readers as to whether we should sell everything we have and move to Israel, even though we are not legally allowed to do so at this point. The short answer is “No,” but after the fourth or fifth query I began to investigate why so many people had these questions. What I learned is that there are two messianic teachers (whose work I otherwise respect) who are teaching that the present economic crisis will lead to a complete and total meltdown of the U.S. economy, and that this will spell the end of America as we know it. They recommend selling everything, and moving immediately to Israel. They also advocate living illegally on the Israeli economy in anticipation of Yeshua’s soon return.

With all due respect to these other teachers, I am unable to agree with their analysis, or with their recommendations. The paper I saw was not supported by even one single Scripture quotation. Instead, it made its appeal based completely upon emotion, and common Christian assumptions.

I do not read an ‘economic meltdown’ for America in Scripture. Instead, what I read is that America and Israel still have to fight a war together in the Middle East.

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 11:14
14 But they shall fly down upon the shoulder of the Philistines toward the west;
Together they shall plunder the people of the East;
They shall lay their hand on Edom and Moab;
And the people of Ammon shall obey them.

Then, when the Ephraimites return to the land, it will be such a big Exodus that the first Exodus will no longer even be mentioned.

Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 16:14-15
14 “Therefore behold, the days are coming,” says YHWH, “that it shall no more be said, ‘YHWH lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt ,’
15 but, ‘YHWH lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north and from all the lands where He had driven them.’ For I will bring them back into their land which I gave to their fathers.

After the war, when we are finally gathered into the land, we will be gathered into Lebanon and into the regions surrounding the Galilee (here called ‘Gilead’).

Zechariah 10:10
10 I will also bring them back from the land of Egypt,
And gather them from Assyria.
I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon,
Until no more room is found for them.

If we cannot legally settle into these regions right now, how can this be the time for the Ingathering? Therefore, if we relocate illegally to the Land of Israel right now, are we in YHWH’s will?

We are told that when the Ingathering comes, we shall not go out in haste, nor go by flight, for YHWH will go before us, and the Elohim of Israel will be our rear guard. This speaks of a somewhat orderly event.

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 52:12
12 For you shall not go out with haste,
Nor go by flight;
For YHWH will go before you,
And the Elohim of Israel will be your rear guard.

This speaks of an at-least-somewhat orderly Second Exodus, and an orderly Ingathering. Does it speak of living illegally on the Israeli economy? Or does it speak of living in defiance of the law, which we are commanded in Romans Thirteen (and in other places) to keep?

Romim (Romans) 13:1-7
1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from Elohim, and the authorities that exist are appointed by Elohim.
2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of Elohim, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.
4 For he is Elohim’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is Elohim’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.
5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake.
6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are Elohim’s ministers attending continually to this very thing.
7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

From what I read, America still has many vital Scripture prophecies to fulfill; and if America still has to take part in many important prophetic events, then how can her history ‘end’ at this point in time?

That said, we are told we can expect significant economic turmoil in the year ahead. We are also told that the Muslim nations will attack us sometime in the foreseeable future.

B’reisheet (Genesis) 49:23-24
23 The archers have bitterly grieved him,
Shot at him and hated him.
24 But his bow remained in strength,
And the arms of his hands were made strong
By the hands of the Mighty Elohim of Jacob
(From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel)….

While America cannot ‘end’ or ‘melt-down’ at this time, it is always wise to be prepared for emergencies, and to keep basic emergency-preparedness supplies on hand.

I pray this will help to clarify the situation for those who are concerned about current economic and global events.

In His service,

Norman
www.nazareneisrael.org

According to Yeshua (Matthew 24:15), the End is definitely not yet, for there is no “Holy Place” for the Abomination of Desolation to be setup in–YET. That will be a major precursor for us all to watch keenly for, but it may be something that could manifest in Jerusalem rather quickly. The Temple Institute has been very active for many years.

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“Israel will soon be completely on their own… or worse”

Many have wondered what could encourage the Psalm 83 alliance of nations to lay siege to “Judah” and “Jerusalem”… then provoking Judah to become a “firepot” that consumes that alliance as both Zechariah 12:1-6 and Psalm 83 predicts. The following news recently released by the Northeast Intelligence Network may be one of the keys to unraveling this mystery.

U.S. Intelligence official “breaks silence” on Israel situation

31 December 2008: Northeast Intelligence Network director Doug Hagmann interviewed a highly-placed U.S. intelligence official late yesterday who not only confirmed rumors about escalated and more intensive Israeli military operations against the Muslim terrorists in Gaza, warned of the increasing probability of abandonment of Israel by the U.S. and other Western countries based on what he termed “malicious intelligence.”

The anonymous official’s most alarming statement:

“I have every reason to believe, based on what I’ve seen at my level of [security] clearance especially over the last several years, that Israel will soon be completely on their own… or worse.” When asked what could be worse than losing the support of the United States, he stated: “when our administration provides more support to Arab countries [with] financial and military aid, undercutting Israel’s defense efforts all while pushing Israel to succumb to the pressure of unreasonable demands designed to end with their political annihilation as a nation.”

Currently, even a large combined national force (Arab/Muslim or otherwise) would be foolish or insane to attack Israel and lay siege to Jerusalem, largely because that force would have to first confront the United States of America, but if that protective force is removed, Judah (the Jews) are going to be forced to deal with the Muslim extremist problems on their own, which will likely be a hook that draws the Arab/Muslim nations to lay siege to Judah and Jerusalem, which will then force Judah to consider the Nuclear option, otherwise called the Samson Option. Be not deceived, if faced with another Jewish Holocaust, they will not hesitate to use this option.

READ THE FULL NEWS RELEASE HERE.

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Festival Observance: “Is Shabbat not a Moed too? Should we not observe it as well?” (Pt.2)

This is a follow-up post to Festival Observance: “a law forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings”? and is largely in response to the natural question it generates (see below).

“If Shabbat (Sabbath) is a ‘Moed’ like the other Moedim (Festivals/Appointments), then why do we endeavor to observe it if we are not to observe the others while in exile?”

I’ve often asked myself this and similar questions, especially since Hosea 2:11 includes Shabbat as one of the observances יהוה said He would stop. I wonder, did Pharaoh allow the Israelites to stop working on Shabbat? And did the Assyrian kings allow 10-Israel not to work on Shabbat? And did Nebuchadnezzar allow Judah not to work on Shabbat? And did Hitler allow Judah to guard the Shabbat? I ask myself these questions rhetorically, for I see Shabbat as something we were never guaranteed outside the United Kingdom of Israel and/or Judah. Of course, there have been times where exiled Jews and Ephraimites were free to keep Shabbat if they so wished, like this semi-brief interlude some of us enjoy now. On another note, it is important to remember that in the Diasporas of antiquity and in modern times, Shabbat was/is certainly not a “complete” rest, even on the days we try to guard it. Shabbat seems to be designed for the individual and the nation, but it can’t be fully experienced as “a people” unless the entire nation embraces it as a sign of covenant between that nation/people and the Master יהוה. Hence, enjoy it while and if you can!

It is true that Shabbat is included in Leviticus 23 as a “moed” (Strong’s H4150), but it differs and is actually distinguished in the passage (verse 23:4) as not being a seasonal and pilgrimage moed, all of which requires an altar and offerings to be brought to the Place of the Great Name (יהוה). So… my current stance… is this: we should try to observe Shabbat in exile if we can (for our own benefit, which was the original purpose), but it is not a national commandment that we are currently “required” to observe. Look at the Exodus 31:14, where the punishment of not observing Shabbat is “to be cut off from your people”. Well, the last I looked, 10-Israel remains in a “not a people” state (Hosea 2:14-23 not yet fulfilled), so how is a person to be cut off from “a people” that does not even exist currently. For clarification, the “people” of Ephraim have not re-formed into a national identity YET, with a body of elders to enforce the actual punishment of non-observance. Having the national identity removed 2700 years ago was Ephraim’s punishment, which had many ramifications (such as the stopping of moed observance). That was a punishment set into place for Ephraim which I think we have to complete. Even so, I do think 2008/2009 may be the end of that punishment, but I’m not completely certain when 10-Israel will re-form into a cohesive, united people IN THE LAND (as Hosea 2 and Ezekiel 37 depict). Many Messianic and non-Messianic Two-House teachers have varying views and estimations, but regardless, “true” freedom to observe the moedim (even Shabbat) is yet before us, in my view.

Thoughts on how Shabbat is different from the other Moedim

My view is contrary to that of many friends, family, and teachers who I greatly respect and honor. I simply try not to get too worked up about the details because I know… or well… I hope the basis for the argument is going to change and become a moot discussion very soon. See my article 2730 Year Punishment Coming to an End for 10-Israel for some wishful thinking and calculations.

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Tomb of Joseph gets a facelift

Why are the Jews, from the House of Judah, so interested in Joseph and his tomb?

Joseph was certainly a major figure in Israelite history, but those of Joseph today (largely goyim outside of the Land) should remember that the House of Judah is made up of the “tribe” of Judah AND the “tribe” of Benjamin. And of course Benjamin should have a special affinity toward Joseph since he was his only full brother (only two sons of Rachel). Regardless, Jews and Joes of all flavors should have an affinity to each other because all our truly brothers and should want all (including our Ezekiel 37 companions) to dwell in unity under the covering of the Most High, but such will likely only occur at the hand of the Anointed (Mashiach) BRANCH of David.

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