Weekly Update: The glasses we choose to wear
The return of the Jewish people to the land of their forefathers is an amazing story, and it’s happening in real time. Just this week, over 300 Jews returned home to Israel from Ethiopia – a land being torn by war. Each of these Jews has a unique story to tell.
Their stories challenge us to decide how we look at the world – which glasses we want to put on. It is a choice we make.
And our choice has consequences. Dov Lipman’s review of former President Barack Obama’s latest memoires show that Obama made his choice.
“Obama tells the story of the establishment of the State of Israel in two sentences, which are nothing short of outright revisionist history… Obama’s perspective on the formation of the State of Israel no doubt affected his foreign policy regarding the Jewish state. If one sees Israel as a colonial force occupying the land as a result of its armed militias, then it will be treated as an outsider that wronged others to establish itself as a state. The former president misleads others into believing this, as well.”
So how should we interpret Israel and the “return” of the Jewish people?
First, we do well to avoid simplistic labels. Israel is far from perfect – but it is not a “colonial force”. The Jewish people are far from perfect – but they are not “wrongdoers”. The Palestinians are far from perfect – but they are not “victims”.
Israel is a thriving, dynamic democracy, that fights to survive but desperately wants peace with its neighbors. The Jewish nation was born and nurtured in “Palestine”. The Arab Palestinians are co-authors of their own destiny. All of them are wrestling to cope with a difficult situation.
The term “Israeli-Palestinian conflict” suggests an “us versus them” paradigm. All or nothing. But that misunderstands the essence of Judaism. It misunderstands history. It completely misunderstands the real character and purpose of Zionism.
God has given us a trustworthy set of glasses: the Bible. God does not look at the world in an “either/or” sense. He chooses, but He never excludes. He loves and wants to bless all – Jews and non-Jews. But He has a way of doing so. Like it or not, the Jews have a special role to play. The Bible reveals that the purpose of Zionism – the return to the land – is that the Jewish people can fulfil their calling: to be a blessing to all other nations, including (maybe even especially) the other nations in the land.
Whether we see the restoration of the Jewish people to the land as a blessing or a curse is a choice we all make.
Which glasses are you putting on?
The Editorial team
Israel & Christians Today
Obama’s revisionist ‘Promised Land’
Dov Lipman at JNS.org: “In his new memoir, the former U.S. president misleads readers in a way that will forever shape their negative perspective of the Jewish state.” Read more..
Why is Europe shedding tears over a man whose greatest desire was to nuke Jews?
By Tsvi Sadan at Israel Today: “Assuming Israel’s culpability, the European Union this week rushed to condemn the assassination of Iran’s nuclear project manager Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. “This is a criminal act and runs counter to the principle of respect for human rights the EU stands for,” said the EU foreign service’s spokesperson. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrel later sent condolences to the Fakhrizadeh family.” Read more..
UN criticism of Israel
UN Watch: “Today (2nd December 2020) the UN General Assembly is slated to adopt five one-sided resolutions targeting Israel, including a Syrian-sponsored text that calls Israel’s presence on the Golan “a stumbling block” standing in the way of “lasting peace in the region,” as well as two resolutions renewing the mandate of a committee devoted to promoting anti-Israel propaganda worldwide, and its 15-member supporting staff department. The resolution which renews the mandate of the 25-nation “Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People” refers to the “Nakba” (catastrophe) of Israel’s founding. Created in the aftermath of the 1975 “Zionism is racism” resolution, the committee and its supporting staff division are vestiges of a discredited policy that has seen the world body largely aligned against Israel.” Read more..
First immigrants from Ethiopia in Operation Rock of Israel land
Jeremy Sharon at JPost: “In the opening flight of Operation Rock of Israel, 316 members of the Falash Mura community from Ethiopia arrived in Israel on Thursday morning together with Aliyah Minister Pnina Tamano -Shata, and were greeted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz, Jewish Agency Chairman Isaac Herzog and other dignitaries.Approximately 100 more immigrants from the Falash Mura community in Ethiopia will arrive on Friday, and in total, the government intends to bring a total of 2,000 immigrants in total by the end of January 2021.” Read more..
The Abraham Accords – Explanatory Notes
By Rev. W.J.J. Glashouwer: “It came unexpectedly. Israel and the United Arab Emirates concluded a bi-lateral agreement under supervision of the United States of America. This is quite exceptional because Israel maintains only diplomatic ties in the Middle East with Jordan and Egypt. The deal is called “The Abraham Accords” after the common ancestor Abraham of both Jews and Arabs.” Read more..
The moral bankruptcy of the World Bank
By Maurice Hirsch, Adv., Palestinian Media Watch: “The Nov. 24, 2020 report analyzing the financial situation of the Palestinian Authority clearly demonstrated the moral bankruptcy of the World Bank. While the report mentioned a host of factors that will contribute to and be affected by the PA’s assessed financial shortfall of $760 million, the World Bank completely ignored the PA’s generous terror reward policy, through which the PA squanders hundreds of millions of dollars every year.” Read more..
The Seventy Weeks | “The Signs of the Times”
with Rev. Willem J.J. Glashouwer
Daniel prays on the basis of God’s Word and holds on to God’s Word. The Lord answers by giving him further teaching and insight into the prophetic future of the people of Israel and the holy city of Jerusalem. The vision of the 70 weeks is given to Daniel, and it would be good to once again take the numbers of this vision literally.
Scripture for the week: Ezekiel 36:24-36
33 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will resettle your towns, and the ruins will be rebuilt. 34 The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it. 35 They will say, “This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden; the cities that were lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now fortified and inhabited.” 36 Then the nations around you that remain will know that I the Lord have rebuilt what was destroyed and have replanted what was desolate. I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.’
