Oct 31, 2017

10 Greatness Traits: #2 ~ Seeing the Impossible ~ JT Waresak

Ed's Note:  JT Waresak studied 10 "greatness" traits in the lives of many great men of the past and present. Let's look at theses traits one at a time:


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Greatness Trait #2:

"...Where others see the impossible, a "Great Man" sees the possible given that God is leading his efforts.  He is a man that keeps God's greater glory in front of him."

Leaders Act ~ Winston Churchill

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The State of the Family V.S. How God Says the Home Should Work ~ Dr. Paul Little

Ed's Note:  Below is the Link to watch this sermon video on the family on VIMEO:

...This is How The Home Should Work? ~ Dr. Paul Little (Click for video)



 Here are some of my Sermon notes on the family today, which is under attack! The "State of the Family" today contains some staggering statistics; Here's a quick Snapshot of the Family in 2017 from a statistical standpoint:

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- 25% of Families today are "traditional" families in that it's Mom & Dad (the Original Mom & Dad) raising their kids (their own kids).  That is to say that ...


- 75%  of Families today are NOT traditional "Whole" or "white picket fence" families.


- 66% of our kids growing up today will spend some of their growing-up years in single-parent families


- 40% of kids are born outside of marriage.


- 27% of kids are raised in fatherless homes.


- Infertility rates for couples in 1984 was 5%;  Now in 2017 it's 16%.  (That's 1 in 5 families who can't have children).

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Fathers ...you need to be the pastor of your family ! 

Dueteronomy 6 says:  (This is the passage Jewish people call the Shi'ma:)

Shema Yisrael (or Sh'ma Yisrael; Hebrew: שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל‎; 
Meaning: "Hear, [O] Israel"
...are the first two words of a section of the Torah (we know this as Deuteronomy 6), and is the title, (better known as The Shema) of a prayer that serves as a centerpiece of the morning and evening Jewish prayer services.



4Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.a 5Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.~ Deuteronomy 6

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Related Scripture:

Titus 2 (NIV)

Proverbs 31(NIV)

Dueteronomy 6 (NIV)






Jesus Foretold in the OLD Testament

Bible prophecies fulfilled:
Bible prophecies fulfilled by Jesus' birth

Below is a selection of prophecies in the Bible that found fulfillment in the birth of Jesus the Messiah about 2,000 years ago.

The commentaries below are from the second edition of the book, 100 Prophecies, by George Konig and Ray Konig, who are the authors and copyright holders of the material. The commentaries are reprinted here with written permission from the authors. The third edition, revised and expanded, of 100 Prophecies: Ancient Biblical prophecies that foretold the future is available through Amazon.com.

Isaiah foreshadowed the virgin birth of Jesus

Bible prophecy: Isaiah 7:14
Prophecy written: Between 701-681 BC
Prophecy fulfilled: About 5 BC
In Isaiah 7:14, the prophet Isaiah addresses the "house of David," meaning the family and descendants of King David, and speaks of a virgin being pregnant with a child, and giving birth to the child. Isaiah says this in the context of it being a sign from God. He also says that the child would be referred to as "Immanuel," which means, "God with us."
The New Testament books of Matthew and Luke record details involving the birth of Jesus, who was born about 700 years after the time of Isaiah, saying that he was born of the virgin Mary and is the Son of God. Because he is the Son of God, Jesus literally can be referred to as "God with us."
Non-Christian scholars have challenged this interpretation. They say that the Hebrew word "almah," which is the word that Christian Bibles often translate as "virgin," actually means "young maiden" or "young woman." It should be noted that the Old Testament uses the word to refer to young, unmarried women, and that unmarried women were culturally and religiously expected to be virgins. One example can be found in Genesis 24:43, where it speaks of a person being sought as a bride for Isaac.
Isaiah 7:14 (NIV):
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem

Bible prophecy: Micah 5:1-2
Prophecy written: Sometime between 750-686 BC
Prophecy fulfilled: About 5 BC
In Micah 5:2, there is a prophecy that reveals that Bethlehem would be the birthplace of the Messiah.
As pointed out in the book, 100 Prophecies, by George Konig and Ray Konig: "The prophecy is effective in a simple way: It eliminates all other cities and towns throughout the world as a place in which the Messiah could be born. It narrows the possibilities to one tiny village just south of Jerusalem."
And throughout the span of the past 27 centuries, from the days of the prophet Micah up through the present time, Bethlehem is credited as being the birthplace for only one person who is widely known throughout the world. And that person is Jesus Christ.
The New Testament books of Matthew and Luke name the town of Bethlehem as the birthplace of Jesus. Matthew 2:1-6 describes the birth of Jesus as the fulfillment of Micah's prophecy.
In recent years, however, some non-believers have attempted to discredit Matthew's interpretation of Micah 5:2 by claiming that the prophecy refers to a person named Bethlehem, not a town name Bethlehem. This claim has been widely circulated on the Internet by a college professor who describes himself as a former Christian minister.
The first problem with this claim appears in Micah 5:1. In that verse, the prophet establishes that he is speaking of Bethlehem the town, not Bethlehem the person, by setting up a context in which he contrasts the great city of Jerusalem with the humble town of Bethlehem.
A second problem with the claim is that there is also evidence outside of the Bible that shows that Micah 5:2 was regarded as a Messianic prophecy involving the town of Bethlehem. Here is an excerpt from the Jerusalem Talmud, which is a collection of Judaism-related writings completed about 1600 years ago:
"The King Messiah... from where does he come forth? From the royal city of Bethlehem in Judah." - Jerusalem Talmud, Berakoth 5a.
Micah 5:1-2 (NIV):
1 Marshal your troops, O city of troops, for a siege is laid against us. They will strike Israel's ruler on the cheek with a rod.
2 "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."

The Messiah would come from the tribe of Judah

Bible prophecy: Genesis 49:10
Prophecy written: As early as 1400 BC
Prophecy fulfilled: About 5 BC
In Genesis 49:10, Jacob is blessing his 12 sons. This blessing was also a prophecy. Jacob told his son Judah that his descendants would be rulers and that one of his descendants will be an ultimate ruler. According to the NIV translation: "The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his." Christians acknowledge that this is a reference to Jesus Christ, whose kingdom will have no end. Jesus was born about 2000 years after Jacob died. Jesus' ancestry is traced back to Jacob's son, Judah, in Luke 3:23-34 and in Matthew 1:1-16. Today, there are some estimates that claim that there are as many as 2 billion Christians worldwide who follow the teachings of Jesus.
Genesis 49:10 (NIV):
The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his.

Nations would seek the counsel of Jesse's descendant

Bible prophecy: Isaiah 11:1-10
Prophecy written: Between 701-681 BC
Prophecy fulfilled: By the birth of Jesus about 2000 years ago
In Isaiah 11:1-10, the prophet Isaiah speaks of a ruler who would be a descendant of Jesse. Jesse was the father of ancient Israel's great King David. This descendant would rule with true justice and true faith, and he would establish true peace. This peace would be so great that even wild animals would be able to lie down next to one another. This descendant would also become a standard for people throughout the world. And, this descendant would be sought by people throughout the world.
This is an important prophecy for Christians because we believe that Jesus is the fulfillment of this Old Testament promise. Jesus, as explained in the New Testament, is a descendant of Jesse. And Jesus has become a standard for peoples throughout the world. In fact, Christianity is the first religion to spread to every country in the world. The words of Jesus, which speak of true justice, true faith and true peace, have been taught to people in every country in the world. We Christians also believe that Jesus will return in the future to establish a kingdom on earth, a kingdom of justice and righteousness.
There is an ancient Hebrew text, called the Targum Jonathan, in which Rabbis sought to interpret passages of the Old Testament scriptures. The Targum Jonathan shows that at least some of the ancient Rabbis believed that the message contained in Isaiah 11:1-10 was a reference to a Messiah. Here is an excerpt from the Targum Jonathan: "And there shall go forth a King from the Sons of Jesse, and the Messiah shall be anointed from his children's children." Jesse was the father of King David. But the Messiah would be a descendant of Jesse, specifically through his son David.
Isaiah 11:1-10 (NIV):
1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him-- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD--
3 and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears;
4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
5 Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.
6 The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling[1] together; and a little child will lead them.
7 The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
8 The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest.
9 They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.
10 In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious.
NIV Footnote: [1] Hebrew; Septuagint lion will feed

The Messiah would be a descendant of King David

Bible prophecy: Jeremiah 23:5
Prophecy written: Sometime between 626-586 BC
Prophecy fulfilled: By the birth of Jesus about 2000 years ago
In Jeremiah 23:5, as well as in other Bible prophecies, we are told that the Messiah would be a descendant of King David.
The New Testament books of Matthew and Luke trace back Jesus' genealogy to King David. (Some scholars believe that the genealogy in Matthew is Jesus' legal line, through his adoptive father, Joseph, and that the genealogy in Luke is Jesus' bloodline through Mary).
Jeremiah 23:5 (NIV):
"The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.
Notes: The commentaries above are summaries from the book 100 Prophecies: Ancient Biblical prophecies that foretold the future. Copyright © Ray Konig.

‘Til the Storm Passes By

In the dark of the midnight have I oft hid my face
While the storm howls above me, and there's no hiding place
'Mid the crash of the thunder, Precious Lord, hear my cry
Keep me safe till the storm passes by
Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more
Till the clouds roll forever from the sky
Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand
Keep me safe till the storm passes by
Many times Satan whispered, "There is no need to try
For there's no end of sorrow, there's no hope by and by"
But I know Thou art with me, and tomorrow I'll rise
Where the storms never darken the skies
Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more
Till the clouds roll forever from the sky
Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand
Keep me

This Is Why Women Live Longer Than Men ~ #43

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So what was the Protestant Reformation all about? ~ RC Sproul

500 years ago, a German monk named Martin Luther started a protest that exploded into a worldwide movement. So what was the Protestant Reformation all about?
R.C. Sproul explains the radically different view of salvation held by the Roman Catholic Church. What was at stake in the Reformation was the gospel of Jesus Christ?

Without Faith It is Impossible to Please God! ~ Hebrews 11:6

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                          Think it over ...!

...without Faith it is Impossible to please God! ~ Hebrews 11:6

Oct 23, 2017

10 Greatness Traits: #1 Relentless Passion ~ JT Waresak

Writing in Family Talk, JT Waresak says that he studied 
10 "greatness" traits in the lives of many great men of the past and present. Let's look at them one at a time:


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Greatness Trait #1:

"A "Great Man" has ...

...A Relentless PASSION to serve God and others.  This passion drives his life purpose! "

Growth ~ Winston Churchill

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Faith Can Move Mountains

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This Is Why Women Live Longer Than Men ~ #42

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What Men Want From Women ~ Mark Gungor 😎

  • In this entertaining film, marriage expert Mark Gungor explores the differences between men and women.
  • mark gungor Website

Why Isnt There a Palestinian State? ~ Prager University

Editor's Note:     As a Follower of Christ and a disciple, it is critical how you think on a variety of societal issues. The Bible tells us that we as Christians are "ARE IN THE WORLD", but "NOT OF THE WORLD", yet still we are astounded by our culture's rapid LEFT-Wing agenda that threatens to challenge and change everything we know to be Good and True as presented in scripture.  

In 2009, Dennis Prager started a website, Prager University, offering five-minute videos on various subjects such as the Ten Commandments, the minimum wage, the Middle EastGlobal warming, and happiness with a conservative perspective.  To be very clear, Mr. Prager is NOT a Christian, but has his roots as an Orthodox Jew, thus his videos do not necessarily view scripture exactly as Christians view scripture, nonetheless there are many general parallels between.  Here is another video in this series:
Why don't the Palestinians have their own country? Is it the fault of Israel? Of the Palestinians? Of both parties? David Brog, Executive Director of the Maccabee Task Force, shares the surprising answers.

Hallelujah, Salvation & Glory ~ OSLO (Sweden) Gospel Choir


Proving the Bible ~ Ken Hamm, The Ark

Ed's Note:  During our family Summer 2017 visit to "The Ark Encounter" in Williamstown, Kentucky, I took a few pictures of the displays.  Many contain good food for thought!






Oct 17, 2017

This Is Why Women Live Longer Than Men ~ #41

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Reach Your Destination ~ Winston Churchill


His Presence, Your Light ~ Sam Rodriguez

Ed's Notes:  OK gang ...git yer seatbelts on!!! 😎

Don't miss any of this video.  Samuel Rodriguez has some awesome stories to tell.  John Raymer and Samuel Rodriguez had an interesting invitation by the Government of Pakistan (staunchly Muslim) to preach in Pakistan.   ...guess what God did.  He healed an 80 year old Muslim cleric of blindness during the service!  

BTW, John Raymer's preaching is similar to Sam's. These are both bold men of faith.  To God be the Glory!


Samuel Rodriguez Prays in Washington ~ Politically Correct Prayer 😎

From the "Awaken Now" conference, a pastor tells about his invitation to pray in front of a massive Washington DC interfaith crowd. 😎

Welcome Holy Spirit


God Calls The Unqualified


Get Your Hubcaps Back!


Seven Compelling Evidences for the Bible ~ Tim Chaffey

The Bible
Seven Compelling Evidences
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The Bible is unlike any other religious book. Despite forty authors writing from three continents over nearly two thousand years, it maintains a perfect consistency of message. Its words point unerringly to Christ, whose work on the cross was ordained by God—the true author of the Bible—before the world began.
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Among all the books ever written, the Bible is absolutely unique. Actually, it is not just a book—it’s 66 books. And one of its most remarkable qualities is the complete unity of the overall message despite having so many different authors writing over many centuries on hundreds of controversial subjects. Natural explanations fail to account for the supernatural character and origin of Scripture.

The Bible was written over a period of roughly 2,000 years by 40 different authors from three continents, who wrote in three different languages. These facts alone make the Bible one of a kind, but there are many more amazing details that defy natural explanation.




Shepherds, kings, scholars, fishermen, prophets, a military general, a cupbearer, and a priest all penned portions of Scripture. They had different immediate purposes for writing, whether recording history, giving spiritual and moral instruction, or pronouncing judgment. They composed their works from palaces, prisons, the wilderness, and places of exile while writing history, laws, poetry, prophecy, and proverbs. In the process they laid bare their personal emotions, expressing anger, frustration, joy, and love.
Yet despite this marvelous array of topics and goals, the Bible displays a flawless internal consistency. It never contradicts itself or its common theme.
From Genesis to Revelation, we see man’s repeated rebellion against his holy Creator. God made a perfect world, but mankind has continually rejected His authority and sought to decide truth for himself. Nevertheless, God promised to extend His love, grace, and mercy to unworthy people who deserved to be cast into the lake of fire for all eternity.
Early in Genesis after Adam and Eve sinned, God made known His plan of redemption, which He repeatedly promised and expanded upon throughout the Old Testament. The promises were fulfilled in a surprising but predicted way: by the Savior’s sacrificial death and subsequent resurrection, as recorded in the New Testament. The Bible then announced the future culmination of the Savior’s redemptive work in Revelation.
Both the Bible and history weave together in seamless harmony, as though the Creator ordained this plan and recorded it in Scripture even before it unfolded in history. And that’s exactly what the Bible claims took place! God says that He alone can declare the future (Isaiah 42:9), and hundreds of His prophetic predictions have been fulfilled with absolute precision, while others await fulfillment.
The unity of Scripture demonstrates its supernatural inspiration. Only the one true, holy God could provide us with such a flawless Bible that reveals such a matchless message: the Lord’s staggering love for His creation.
66 Books . . . 1 Message
Despite writing in radically different times and contexts, the Bible’s many authors all told the same message about God’s eternal plan, from Creation and the Flood to Christ’s work on the Cross and the consummation of God’s plan. You can find the same truths stated by Moses and the Old Testament prophets, Christ Himself, and Christ’s apostles.
The First Creation
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” —Moses
“By God were all things made.” —the apostle John
“At the beginning God made them male and female.” —Jesus Christ
Noah’s Flood
“Noah went into the ark, and the waters increased greatly, and all flesh died that moved upon the earth.” —Moses
“The world that was then, being overflowed with water, perished.” —the apostle Peter
“Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came and took them all away.” —Jesus Christ
Resurrection of Christ
“You will not leave my soul in the grave; neither will you suffer your Holy One to see corruption.” —King David
“Christ was buried and rose again the third day.” —the apostle Paul
“Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” —Jesus Christ
The New Creation
“I will make a new heavens and a new earth, says the Lord.” —the prophet Isaiah
“I saw a new heaven and a new earth.” —the apostle John
“I go to prepare a place for you.” —Jesus Christ


Find more answers to the most common claims of “contradictions in the Bible” at Answers Magazine’s online apologetics toolkit for defending the Bible.
Tim Chaffey holds a master of divinity in apologetics and theology and a ThM in church history and theology from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a writer/editor for Answers in Genesis's web department. Tim has authored several books, including Old-Earth Creationism on Trial and The Truth Chronicles series.


Why Muslims Are Abandoning Allah and Turning to Jesus in Record Numbers ~ Dave Williams


Dreams, visions and miracles are being reported among Muslims, leading them to faith in Jesus. 
Present world conditions show us that the stage is being set for a grand finale. It's clear to me that Islam is about to take some serious losses. It will be greatly weakened as we approach the day of the Lord.
Here are six specific reasons I believe Islam will diminish and become severely crippled as we approach the coming of Christ:
  1. Because of the prophecies of devastation against Elam—Elam is located in the southwest portion of modern Iran and is the site of the Bushehr nuclear reactor (Jer. 49)
  2. Because of Syrian losses in the destruction of Damascus (Isa. 17)
  3. Because of the shattering of Muslim terrorist organizations (Ps. 83)
  4. Because of the severe Islamic losses from the invasion foretold in Ezekiel 38–39
  5. Because of the coming Euphrates River disaster foretold in Revelation, in which tens of millions will die—Four Islamic nations are affected by the Euphrates River: Turkey (not officially a Muslim nation but 98.6 percent Muslim), Syria, Iraq and to a lesser degree Iran (Rev. 9:14; 16:12)
  6. Because Islam is totally incompatible with the religion of the prophesied coming world leader (2 Thess.2:4)
In spite of what is coming to Islamic nations, God loves the Arab people. He could have let their patriarch, Ishmael, die as a young boy. Instead, God promised to make him a great nation and to bless him (Gen. 17:20). After all, Abraham was the father of both Ishmael and Isaac.
But the religion of Islam has blinded many Arabic people to the amazing love of Father God. Islam teaches that God can have no son. Thus it's ingrained into their thinking that Jesus cannot be God's Son, preventing them from receiving the full benefits as children of Abraham.
We must pray for Muslims to have supernatural experiences that will lead them to the truth of the gospel while we stand with Israel for her salvation as well.That is changing. Many are coming to Jesus Christ in Saudi Arabia, Iran and Syria, along with great numbers of the refugees fleeing from ISIS. Disillusioned Muslims are abandoning Allah and coming to Jesus Christ in record numbers, some at a great cost. Dreams, visions and miracles are being reported among Muslims, leading them to faith in Jesus.
"Look among the nations, and watch—wonder and be amazed! For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe, though it were told you" (Hab. 1:5).
Dr. Dave Williams served for over 30 years as pastor of Mount Hope Church in Lansing, Michigan, with over 500 outreach ministries around the world.

The Effect of Romans V.S. Revelation ~ from J. Vernon McGee

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“Years ago, after I had recently come to California, I went to see Dr Gaebelein who was visiting here.   He said to me,  “How do you like your church in California?”  I told him, “It’s wonderful. I enjoy it, but there is something strange out here. I have since learned that this is true everywhere, but I had not detected it before.  I can teach the Book of Revelation in my church, and it will fill up on Wednesday nights.  But if I teach the Epistle to the Romans, I empty the church.  

“  I never shall forget what Dr. Gaebelein said in his broken Prussian accent,  “Brother McGee, You are going to find that a great many of the saints are more interested in Antichrist than they are in Christ.  “  I have discovered that he was accurate.  ~ Dr. J Vernon McGee 

Oct 11, 2017

Jesus Name Above All Names


Rev. Jim Cantelon debates Rabbi Tovia Singer about Jesus

Ed's Note:   The Jew and the Christian
The Jewish people have a very difficult time with placing Jesus in the center of their belief system.  That Jesus was the Messiah does not sit well with them whatsoever.  That God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit make up the Trinity is laughable to the Jewish mind.  This was the mindset that Hebrews was addressed to.

During this interesting debate, Rabbi Tovia reaches out with typical deadpan Jewish humor, "Why did God create Mormons?"    "...Because then Christians will know how Jews feel about them!" 😎

I very much enjoy listening to Rabbi Tovia Singer elaborate Old Testament teachings.  He is the closest thing to a human encyclopedia that I've ever seen!  He has been a New York City talk-show host. Many of his OT studies populate YouTube, where he brings to the table his years of Old Testament study, and a rich Jewish cultural perspective.  He has the ability to bring an otherwise dry or mysterious passage to life.  However, he has missed the message of the Messiah!  While Jesus Christ is somewhat concealed in the OLD, He is revealed in the NEW!  

Rev. Jim Cantelon is an evangelical minister, author, talk-show host and church-planter.  In 1983,  he founded King of Kings Assembly (an Evangelical church) in Jerusalem. At one time in my life, Jim and I attended the same Sunday School class in Brampton, and there were few dull moments when he was there.  I appreciate the way Jim Cantelon is able to be winsome yet very firm on the claims of Christ,  as he discusses his faith in Jesus as the Messiah!  Jim shows a delicate sensitivity towards Rabbi Singer's Jewish beliefs and continually builds a bridge towards him.  This in my view, is a strong witness for Christ.

"Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts."  ~ 2 Corinthians 3:15

Listening to this brilliant Jewish Rabbi, makes me wonder if Orthodox Jews will someday embrace the Anti-Christ as his "Messiah" since they are significantly blinded towards Jesus Christ. 
  

The British Mandate (In Palestine) ~ Daniel 11:20

The British Mandate




Daniel 11:20
"His successor will send out a tax collector to maintain the royal splendor. In a few years, however, he will be destroyed, yet not in anger or in battle".      

This verse is very distinctive of the relatively brief, British involvement in the Middle East.  The British and French succeeded the Ottomans but only under the mandate system.  The mandate system was created in 1919 as a temporary arrangement where the communities would receive mandatory advice and assistance until they were able to stand on their own.  It was stipulated in the mandate that the “wishes of the communities” be a principle consideration.  

There were no set boundaries for anything but by 1923, the French had accepted Syria and Lebanon while the British took Iraq and Palestine.  In time, they both left voluntarily but they left behind a tax collector in the form of an oil company, which took a disproportionate amount of Iraqi profits.  After several decades, the Iraqi government regained control of their oil revenues yet not in battle but in international courts.        


Before I talk about the oil, I will discuss the division of land, which went pretty smooth except for one part.  The British decided to split Palestine into two sections, separated by the Jordan River.  They retained control of the western section, including Jerusalem, while the eastern section became Jordan.  They picked two sons of a Hashemite ruler from Mecca, Faisal and Abdullah, to become kings of Iraq and Jordan.  The Hashemite ancestry went back to Muhammad’s grandfather so they had some degree of popularity.  Iraq became an official nation in 1932, followed by Syria and Lebanon in 1943, and Jordan in 1946.  

Of course, the one part of the system that did not go smoothly was the western 23% of Palestine. Circumstances occurred that were impossible to foresee when the British retained the small area.  In the 1920’s, the British started allowing an influx of Jews because the mandate stipulated that the “wishes of the communities” be a principle consideration.  It seemed logical because there were Jewish communities in Palestine.  Problems arose in the 1930’s when Nazi persecution caused the influx to skyrocket.  In 1939, just as persecution got worse, the British imposed an quota on annual immigration.  With no where to go, the Jews either immigrated illegally or ended up in detention camps.  By the end of WWII, in 1945, the population of Palestine was 31% Jewish, up from 11% in 1922.  Despite criticism from the United States and others, the British maintained their ban on immigration after the war.  Over 250,000 Jews were held in “displaced persons” camps in Europe and others were diverted to Cyprus.  Finally, the British gave up and turned the problem over to the newly formed United Nations.          

After months of debate, the United Nations approved a resolution to make two nations out of the small strip of land.  One nation would be Jewish and the other Arab with Jerusalem remaining under international administration.  Most Jews accepted the proposal but most Arabs were against it.  Nevertheless, on May 14, 1948, Israel proclaimed their independence for the first time in over 2500 years.  In a matter of days, the armies of Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon attacked the tiny nation but Israel survived because it was God’s plan.  Since then, much of the hostilities in the Middle East have been directed towards Israel.  As a result of the first war, approximately 700,000 Palestinians were expelled or fled from their land, which continues to be a problem for Israel today.  Following the 1948 war, Egypt began blocking ships traveling to and from Israel.  That led to wars in 1956 and 1967 but Israel just gained more land from the Arabs.  Yet, they gave much of it back in efforts to make peace, which have resulted in treaties with Egypt and Jordan.

However, Israel remains at odds with groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas.  Hezbollah is a Shiite party in southern Lebanon, backed by Iran and Syria.  They want the Golan Heights back but Israel refuses because it is too easy to launch rockets into northern Israel from there.  Hamas is a Palestinian party currently ruling the Gaza Strip.  They want their independence but they refuse to recognize Israel’s right to exist.  They also want a return to the 1948 borders (above) but Israel refuses because that would require them to return East Jerusalem.  When Jordan controlled East Jerusalem, they blocked access to the Western Wall.  Besides, Israel considers Jerusalem to be the eternal, undivided capital of the Jewish people.  

The Oil Factor     

The “tax collector” reference is distinctive to the oil in Iraq because its value would have been unknown in previous verses.  The royal splendor sounds typical of Great Britain who primarily initialized the plan.  It started slightly before WWI, in 1912, when the Turkish Petroleum Company (TPC) was formed to seek concessions from the Ottomans to explore for Iraqi oil.  It was the mastermind of Calouste Gulbenkian, a naturalized British citizen born in Constantinople.  In the original deal, TPC would be owned 50% by the British government, 30% by Royal Dutch/Shell (which Gulbenkian owned a majority), and 20% going to the Ottomans.  When WWI broke out, that arrangement was dissolved.  In 1923, TPC resumed negotiations but under the provisions of the British mandate.  Now, four countries, besides Iraq, wanted a share in the ownership of TPC.  Iraq wanted the same 20% promised to the Ottomans but three of the four countries voted “no”.  Iraq was afraid that the province in question, Mosul, would be annexed into Turkey without British support so they conceded to demands in 1925.  TPC was divided equally between Britain, France, Persia, and the United States, with 5% going to Gulbenkian.  It was renamed the Iraq Petroleum Company (IPC) but Iraq only got a small royalty on each ton extracted.       After oil was struck in 1927, Iraqi oil money flowed into IPC pockets for 45 years.  In return for completing two pipelines to the Mediterranean, IPC received more concessions to develop oil fields in southern Iraq.  As time went by, they received larger areas on both sides of the Tigris River.  The windfall started to crumble in 1958 when the Iraqi army overthrew the Hashemite monarchy and formed the Republic of Iraq.  In 1961, President Abdul Qassem nationalized 99.5 % of the concession areas, leaving only the producing oilfields in IPC's control.  In 1972, the Arab Socialist Baath Party took control of the government and nationalized the rest of IPC's assets.  The Iraqi government settled ensuing legal claims in international court, which got rid of the tax collector but not in battle



In summary, I think it is obvious that Daniel 11 perfectly matches Middle Eastern history so far (verses 2-20).  Although vague at times, God provided enough key words to distinguish each empire from the others.  When presented chronologically, it is unmistakable.  No one has discovered this before because the information was “sealed until the time of the end”. (Daniel 12:9)  With the information unsealed, it proves, without question, that God is actively controlling the Middle East.      

Starting in the next verse, I will explain how the final empire started back in 1979.  Considering the tax collector was eliminated in 1972, I would say that Daniel 11 is moving right along.  It’s just that God’s concept of time is different from ours.  Peter said, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.  He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.(2Peter 3:9)  Even though God is patient, there is a limit because the future verses, described in Daniel 11, will eventually come and go, just as the previous empires did.   ~ from daniel11truth.com