Hamas or Israel, why is the choice so difficult?
As I write this post, Hamas or Israel is a choice that many people are making. War is raging. Many Jews in Israel have died. Babies were butchered. Mothers and fathers watched their children die. Elderly Holocaust survivors were killed. Israel has struck back with unprecedented military force. Hundreds of innocent Palestinians have died also.
Things are looking grim. This war will most likely spread.
In the aftermath, people are picking sides. And sadly, it’s often as mundane as though they were cheering for their favorite team. It makes it more painful to watch when scores of riotous crowds cheer in support of the murderous rampage from Hamas. It’s understandable to rally for support of the Palestinian cause. I don’t agree with most of their claims, but wanting the best for people is an honorable thing.
Hamas or Israel: It’s a test for future events.
What Hamas just did is not honorable. Rape, torture, sodomy, burning children and families alive, and parading dead bodies through the streets is a horrifying short list of the travesties inflicted on innocent Israeli citizens. When people choose Hamas, they are rooting for a continuation of what they just initiated.
But still, massive rallies around the world supported the heartwrenching bloodshed and murder. Seeing that, it is hard to grasp how deep and dark the hearts of people are becoming. Although we know, the Bible said these dark times would arrive. My guess is that it will only get worse in many parts of the world.
Some of the sick news:
Matthew 24:12
Because of the increase in wickedness, the love of most will grow cold
These terrible events remind me of some final words of Jesus on the last day before his crucifixion. He and the disciples were leaving the temple in Jerusalem. His disciples asked him some questions about the end of the age. Jesus answered with great detail. Many of his words should alert Christians to the lateness of the timeline. We don’t know the day or the hour of Christ’s return but we are commanded to know the season.
The season is approaching.
Below, I have presented the last verses of Jesus’ end-of-the-age speech. It’s often referred to as the Olivet Discourse because he spoke the words in a private conversation with his disciples. They sat upon the Mount of Olives. As is so often the case. Context is essential to understanding the meaning. The context was the end of the age. His friends asked the Lord, ‘When will these things be, what will be the sign of your coming, and the sign of the end of the age?’
The final part of his message is commonly referred to as the sheep and goat judgment or the final judgment. Too often, readers wrongly assume that Matthew 24 is the entire message. That is incorrect. Matthew 25 holds three important teachings regarding how people should live in those final dark years. First, we find the tale of the ten virgins. After that, we read the parable of the talents. Jesus’ message ends with some sobering details of the approaching day of judgment.
It’s a very appropriate message, especially in light of the recent brutal attack on Israel.
Daniel 7:25
He will speak against the Most High oppress his holy people and try to change the set times and the laws. The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a time, times, and half a time.
This verse in Daniel provides important details that will take place during the last 3 1/2 years before the dreaded judgment day. What is one of the key aspects of those final days? God’s Holy People will be hunted down and killed in the most brutal ways imaginable. We just saw a demonstration from Hamas. Here’s another verse.
Revelation 13:7
It was given power to make war against God’s people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation.
The ‘it’ in the above verse refers to the beast kingdom that will rule over the Middle East and conquer Israel. The armies of the beast kingdom will pursue Jews wherever they can find them. And to add a surprise to many of you…Christians will also be part of this demonic focus. Yes, Christians will face the Antichrist. Many pastors, churches, and religious institutions have mistakenly taught that Christians will be gone during that time.
That is a grievous error in interpretation.
Matthew 25:31 Jesus will sit on His Throne in Jerusalem
When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.
At this time, the Lord has killed the Antichrist the false prophet, and tens of thousands of his soldiers. The smoke is probably still smoldering around the world from the horrors.
25:32 Sheep or Goat, Hamas or Israel
Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
The Lord will have a big audience on this day. All of the nations will gather. Of course, many billions will have recently died. Yikes!
25:33 Right or Left, Hamas or Israel
And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.
It’s interesting where the left and right get placed. It looks like the good guys are on the right. 🙂
25:34 The Right will inherit the Kingdom
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
Those on the right are blessed.
25:35 Jesus was hungry, thirsty, and a stranger
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
During those final seven years, many will look for ways to help God’s Holy People. They will be rewarded, even though many will die while trying to help.
25:36 Naked, sick, and in prison
I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’
During the Hamas attacks, many women had their clothes ripped off so many supposedly holy men could seek sick pleasure before killing them.
25:37 See the hungry and thirsty: Hamas or Israel?
Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
They weren’t looking for rewards. Just knew they should help.
25:38 Help the captive and the naked: Hamas or Israel?
And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
Many Jews and Christians will be strangers in hiding. Who will help them?
25:39 Care for the sick and imprisoned: Hamas or Israel?
And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
Dark dungeons, caves, and cells will house dying prisoners of this last war.
25:40 See, help, and care for God’s Children
And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
The Jews and Christians will be considered the least favorable of all people. In those darkest hours, it will take great courage to stand up to defend or help them.
25:41 The Uncaring on the Left, Inherit Eternal Fire
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
Next Jesus addresses the hard-left goats of this story.
25:42 Did not see the hungry and thirsty
For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink.
Hungry, but no help came.
25:43 Did not care for the naked, sick, or imprisoned
I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’
Naked and in prison, but no help came. Sounds like a repeat of the Holocaust.
25:44 Those on the Left admit, they didn’t care enough to see.
Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’
Blind eyes don’t see those in need.
25:45 Care for the least of God’s Children: Hamas or Israel?
Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’
In the last days before Christ returns, most people will feel they have to support the dominant force. The antichrist and his armies will seem too powerful to resist. Even now, we see the pressure to support evil. When it is Hamas or Israel, too many people choose the death squads.
25:46 Hamas or Israel: Right or Left?
And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
The left-side goats were too cold to care. The right-side sheep cared for and helped when they could.
The pressure to do right will be unbearable for many. So you must prepare yourself now. Those days could be sooner than we fear.
Related Content
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The Antichrist
The mysterious man called the Antichrist struck fear in me the first several times I heard about him. The Exorcist movie was in the theatres around that time and I was foolish enough to watch it on the big screen. Since I was scared of the Antichrist before then, I was terrified after watching that sickening girl’s head spin around on her neck, spewing vomit, and cursing those ill-equipped priests who were in over their heads against the forces of darkness.
Yes, I was afraid, but so were a lot of us.
When I first heard about the Antichrist I was a young Christian attending Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa California. The Pastor, Chuck Smith, was an older man who had a strong appeal to the growing masses of young believers who were attending his church. I liked his teaching style as did a lot of us teens and young adults. Every week the church was full of young people like me who flocked to the church.
A disciple of Christ
This book presents to you the teachings of a very old disciple of Christ. The old disciple’s name is Hippolytus. He was an ardent defender of the teachings of the early disciples. He was an early disciple himself, but he was very well aware of the many false teachings that were creeping into the church and affecting the truth of scripture. One of his more renowned writings was called, ‘Against Heresies.’ In it, he defended the word of God and the word of the first Apostles.
Hippolytus lived from around A.D. 170 to A.D. 236. He was a contemporary of a more famous Irenaeus and learned under the teaching of Polycarp and Justin Martyr. He was born only seventy years after the death of the last original disciples of Christ, the Apostle John.
The words and first manuscripts of the early church were readily available to a young eager student like Hippolytus. Reminds me of myself.
He was eager to learn and a staunch supporter of the Bible as the only important document when considering God’s truth.
What I have presented to you are his own words, originally in Greek, translated into English. The subject is the Antichrist, but I can assure you there is nothing about spinning heads or spewing vomit. He uses the scriptures only in drawing conclusions and leaves wild conjecture for us to get into.
Let me know what you think.