The spirit of deception is one of the strongest spirits
released in the last days upon the earth! It is not surprising then that
at the very onset of the Lord's discourse in Matthew 24, while alerting
us of the nature and dynamics of the end-times, He said: "See to it that
no one misleads you" (vs.4). Indeed, the enemy is a liar and the father
of lies, and deception is his most cunning, subtle, and lethal weapon!
His one and only strategy always was and still is to draw undiscerning
and unwise souls away from the truth of God, hopelessly trapping them in
webs of lies and prisons of deceit. The whole unredeemed world system,
in fact, "Lies in the power of the evil one" (1 John 5:19).
Three more times the Lord warned the disciples of deception
in that same chapter; deception by false Messiahs (vs.5), false prophets
(vs.11), and false signs and wonders (vs.24). All of these, indeed, have
become "household" phenomenon and familiar trappings in today's spiritual
and cultural atmosphere not only among the heathen, but even in some of
our own ranks. The oppressed and hopeless masses all around the world desperately
clamor to and idolize those who offer even a sliver of hope or a purpose
to live for, laying their treasures and offering their worship at these
demonized altars!
The battle over the truth is real. In fact, it is the
most real of all battles we ever face, and the most intense and persistent
one as well. "What is truth?" Asked the bewildered Pilate in John 18:38
as he faced the man of sorrows who said just a short time before, "I am
the truth" (John 14:6). And not only did the Lord clearly announce that
truth is embodied within Himself, but He also promised to send us the Spirit
of Truth, "aletheia" in the Greek, which means that which is true, or real.
The Lord therefore established that He alone, through His Spirit, is the
only source and essence of truth and reality in this world. In fact, the
Greek language had no distinction between truth and reality, denoting therefore
that the only reality there is, is the truth! Everything else is a lie,
a deceptive spell, a temporary mist which will disappear as soon as the
Son shines and the day dawns upon us!
No wonder, therefore, that the enemy of our souls who
was cast down to the earth as a roaring lion, is now flooding it with strong
lies, at times even appearing as an angel of light, "Having great wrath,
knowing that he has only a short time." (Rev. 12:9,12) And our Lord and
Commander, the true Lion of the tribe of Judah, knowing the fatal poison
and deadly power of deception, gave us the antidote as He prayed to the
Father in John 17:17 saying, "Thy word is truth." The only shelter from
the lie, and the only reality which will survive and overpower the flood
of deception covering the earth is God's Word! It alone produces in us
the new birth (James 1:18, 1-Peter 1:23), washes us from sin and its effects
(Eph. 5:26), sanctifies us (John 17:17), builds faith within our hearts
(Rom.10:17), and nourishes us into the full stature and image of Christ
Jesus Himself! (1-Peter 2:1,2)
Yet, knowing the truth is not necessarily the proof that
one will make it through the strife. According to 2-Thessalonians 2:10,
many will perish in the flood of deception, not because they did not know
the truth, but "Because they did not receive the love of the truth." Our
Heavenly Father is not interested in "head knowledge" only, but looks to
the heart of man in search of true devotion and passion for the truth.
Worse yet, the apostle warns that because they did not love the truth,
"God (Himself) will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might
believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not
believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness" (2 Thess. 2:11). This
may indeed be God’s most severe judgement of all, when He removes His hand
of protection from us, leaving us naked and exposed before the full power
of deception to test our hearts whether we will love the truth more than
the pleasures of this world.
The nation of Israel, among other roles, serves the Lord
as an object lesson displaying spiritual principles and truths before powers
and principalities, and for the benefit of those who have eyes to see and
hearts to understand. This is especially so as this age draws to its end,
with Israel raised from the dead, literally, as a proof of God’s truth
and faithfulness. In light of that, we find her now engulfed and swallowed
up in a storm of lies seeking to invalidate, undermine, and ultimately
destroy her! These lies are bold, brazen, and often go unchallenged by
the deluded and mostly ignorant international community.
The very battle over the ownership of the land and the
right for Jewish sovereignty is the most transparent and visible display
of the spiritual war fought over the truth of God's word. Arafat, who emerged
in recent years as the point man of the "Palestinian revolution," is reaching
far beyond the establishment of a "secular democratic state." His vision
is to "liberate" the whole of Palestine, bringing the country back into
the Islamic fold which stretches from Morocco to Indonesia. What six wars,
endless terrorism, and constant diplomatic pressures could not accomplish,
he now tries to achieve through the Peace process, which is perhaps the
most dangerous battle Israel ever had to face! The grand prize, according
to the Middle East Digest, is to recapture Jerusalem and the Temple Mount
for Allah. No doubt, Arafat will then earn the adulation of not only the
Palestinians, but of the entire one billion Muslims of the world!
The reason Arafat survived the treacherous plots and assassination
attempts against him from other Arab leaders in the Middle East, and was
able to capture the heart of the gullible West, is the strong spirit of
deception that moves through him. According to the recognized Islamic principle,
the "tagiah," "Muslims have every right to lie and to deceive their adversaries,
and a promise made to a non-Muslim can be broken whenever necessary." (Amir
Taheri: Holy Terror, Sphere Books, London, 1987). It was Adolf Hitler who
taught that the truthfulness of a propaganda is of little importance compared
to its only valid criterion, that of its success. And a lie will be received
as truth when repeated often and loud enough.
And while the Palestinian plight is legitimate in that
these bruised and abused people must find identity, dignity, and rest for
their souls, Islamic spokespersons are brazenly lying about the history
and archeology of the land of Israel when making their claim to it, since
they have no truth to stand on. Jewish origins in the region are played
down, while fictitious Palestinian roots are invented in broad daylight.
For example: *The land is referred to as "Palestine,"
a name artificially created by the Roman occupation forces in the first
century AD in an attempt to humiliate and ultimately annihilate Jewish
identity in the land, 1500 years after the territory became a recognized
national home to the Israelites; * The Palestinian people are referred
to as an ancient and well established race, when in fact many of them immigrated
into the region in recent history from neighboring Arab countries, following
the economical boost created by the waves of Jews returning to the land;
* The historic existence of a Jewish temple on Temple Mount is denied and
relegated to Jericho; * Jerusalem is claimed to have been artificially
and maliciously "judaized" in an attempt to hide her Arab and Islamic features,
again denying plain historical and archeological facts; * Hebron is claimed
as one of the oldest cities of the Palestinians, ignoring the records of
Abraham, Caleb, David, and other biblical and historical characters who
lived their lives there as Jews; * Bethlehem is hailed as an ancient sacred
Palestinian community, and many other lies are spoken, written, and published,
totally unchallenged by those who should know better. Yet, for reason of
fear, selfishness, and ignorance, the conspiracy of silence and deception
continues. Indeed, a spell is over the people!
Some of the intercessors from the ELIJAH PRAYER ARMY saw
a parallel between Arafat and Absalom who illegally became king over Israel
in Hebron! His name in Hebrew means father of peace, yet it was a false
peace which ended in sorrow and war. So it is with Arafat who now is more
confident than ever of his victory, as Hebron fell under his rule through
deception and manipulation. The battle over Israel is ultimately a battle
over the truth of God's word. And indeed, as the prophets said in Zechariah
12-14, Ezek. 38-39, and more, it will be in Israel and Jerusalem that the
nations will be judged who rejected God's revelation of Himself, His purpose,
and His covenant.
May the Lord guide you as you pray, and may He grant you
wisdom and insight to wage war according to His plan and purpose. And remember,
before you can safely and effectively resist and confront deception in
high places, you must first be sure to have repented of and renounced every
fellowship with and tolerance of this enemy in your own heart! Only those
forgiven and cleansed of their sin and armed with the Sword of the Word
and the power of the Cross will overcome! For indeed, the end of Satan,
the deceiver of the whole world (Rev.12:9), will surely come as "They overcame
him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony,
and they did not love their life even to death" (Rev. 12:11)
Reuven Doron, Director/Pastor
Embrace Israel Ministries
Address: PO Box 10077, Cedar Rapids, IA 52410-0077 USA
E-mail: mailbox@embraceisrael.org
| Internet: www.embraceisrael.org
Phone: (319) 393-1096 | Fax: (319) 393-2912
Copyright © 1996-2000 Embrace Israel Ministries
And now some words from an Arab-American Reporter
MYTHS OF THE MIDDLE EAST By Mr Joseph Farah.
© 2000 WorldNetDaily.com
I've been quiet since Israel erupted in fighting spurred by disputes over the Temple Mount.
Until now, I haven't even bothered to say, "See, I told you so." But I can't resist any longer. I feel compelled to remind you of the column I wrote just a couple weeks before the latest uprising. Yeah, folks, I predicted it. that's OK. Hold your applause.
After all, I wish I had been wrong. More than 80 people have been killed since the current fighting in and around Jerusalem began. And for what?
If you believe what you read in most news sources, Palestinians want a homeland and Muslims want control over sites they consider holy. Simple, right?
Well, as an Arab-American journalist who has spent some time in the Middle East dodging more than my share of rocks and mortar shells, I've got to tell you that these are just phony excuses for the rioting, trouble-making and land-grabbing.
Isn't it interesting that prior to the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, there was no serious movement for a Palestinian homeland?
"Well, Farah," you might say, "that was before the Israelis seized the West Bank and Old Jerusalem."
That's true. In the Six-Day War, Israel captured Judea, Samaria and East Jerusalem. But they didn't capture these territories from Yasser Arafat. They captured them from Jordan's King Hussein. I can't help but wonder why all these Palestinians suddenly discovered their national identity after Israel won the war.
The truth is that Palestine is no more real than Never-Never Land. The first time the name was used was in 70 A.D. when the Romans committed genocide against the Jews, smashed the Temple and declared the land of Israel would be no more. From then on, the Romans promised, it would be known as Palestine. The name was derived from the Philistines, a Goliathian people conquered by the Jews centuries earlier. It was a way for the Romans to add insult to injury. They also tried to change the name of Jerusalem to Aelia Capitolina,but that had even less staying power.
Palestine has never existed -- before or since -- as an autonomous entity. It was ruled alternately by Rome, by Islamic and Christian crusaders, by the Ottoman Empire and, briefly, by the British after World War I. The British agreed to restore at least part of the land to the Jewish people as their homeland.
There is no language known as Palestinian. There is no distinct Palestinian culture. There has never been a land known as Palestine governed by Palestinians. Palestinians are Arabs, indistinguishable from Jordanians (another recent invention), Syrians, Lebanese, Iraqis, etc. Keep in mind that the Arabs control 99.9 percent of the Middle East lands. Israel represents one-tenth of 1 percent of the landmass.
But that's too much for the Arabs. They want it all. And that is ultimately what the fighting in Israel is about today. Greed. Pride. Envy. Covetousness. No matter how many land concessions the Israelis make, it will never be enough.
What about Islam's holy sites? There are none in Jerusalem.
Shocked? You should be. I don't expect you will ever hear this brutal truth from anyone else in the international media. It's just not politically correct.
I know what you're going to say: "Farah, the Al Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem represent Islam's third most holy sites."
Not true. In fact, the Koran says nothing about Jerusalem. It mentions Mecca hundreds of times. It mentions Medina countless times. It never mentions Jerusalem. With good reason. There is no historical evidence to suggest Mohammad ever visited Jerusalem.
So how did Jerusalem become the third holiest site of Islam? Muslims today cite a vague passage in the Koran, the seventeenth Sura, entitled "The Night Journey." It relates that in a dream or a vision Mohammed was carried by night "from the sacred temple to the temple that is most remote, whose precinct we have blessed, that we might show him our signs. ..." In the seventh century, some Muslims identified the two temples mentioned in this verse as being in Mecca and Jerusalem. And that's as close as Islam's connection with Jerusalem gets -- myth, fantasy, wishful thinking. Meanwhile, Jews can trace their roots in Jerusalem back to the days of Abraham.
The latest round of violence in Israel erupted when Likud
Party leader Ariel Sharon tried to visit the Temple Mount, the foundation
of the Temple built by Solomon. It is the holiest site for Jews. Sharon
and his entourage were met with stones and threats. I know what it's like.
I've been there.
Can you imagine what it is like for Jews to be threatened,
stoned and physically kept out of the holiest site in Judaism?
So what's the solution to the Middle East mayhem? Well,
frankly, I don't think there is a man-made solution to the violence. But,
if there is one, it needs to begin with truth. Pretending will only lead
to more chaos. Treating a 5,000-year-old birthright backed by overwhelming
historical and archaeological evidence equally with illegitimate claims,
wishes and wants gives diplomacy and peacekeeping a bad name.
JOSEPH FARAH