Inaugural Blog

Hello one and all: friends, bloggers and countrymen...and fellow believers in honest and principled oratory (AKA - "speaking the truth in love!").  In response to the complaints of friends with whom I dialogue through email and Facebook, I have been asked (commanded, really) to begin a blog! I imagine, it is their nice way of demanding that rather than wax eloquent for paragraphs at a time through other venues, I can articulate my thoughts in a place where they can choose to visit IF and when THEY want and not when I want.  I am quite excited to enter my first blog - and, God willing, continue blogging until the Messiah returns!!!

I have chosen to title my Blog: Ezekiel 37.  The significance may be obvious to some, but if not...I will "splain".  My passion and my interest and the motivation for this particular blog is the current events of the Middle East, and in particular, my spiritual homeland - Israel.  Ezekiel's 37th chapter is the words of one of many Jewish apocalyptic prophets that centuries ago (~2500 in this case), gave testimony of the return of the Jewish people to their ancestral homeland.  This famous "valley of dry bones" prophecy has been fulfilled in our very recent time.  Jewish people, although always maintaining a presence in their historical homeland, began arriving in significant numbers in the late 1800's and, by 1948 when Israel declared itself an independent nation-state, had close to 1,000,000 Jewish inhabitants.  Written during the 1st Jewish exile in Babylon, Ezekiel proclaims:

““And say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I will take the sons of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and I will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king will be king for all of them; and they will no longer be two nations, and they will no longer be divided into two kingdoms.”
(Ezekiel 37:21–22 NASB)

It truly is a modern miracle that a small people who have been targeted for exile, persecution, forced assimilation, and near annihilation countless times have not only survived, but regathered into a common entity in their ancestral homeland of 4000 years - the State of Israel.  It is a miracle that is also not without DIVINE involvement, in my humble, but strong opinion.  It is not only the fact the my fellow "seeds of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" have survived 4000 years - it is HOW they survived...against insurmountable odds that by all intents and purposes should never have happened.  Additionally, no other peoples have been the brunt of such vile and vehement opposition and delusional hatred as my fellow Jews.  Why?  Could it be that this really IS about good v. evil?  God v. His enemies? 

I am not saying that we Jews, either individually, as a people or as the Nation-State of Israel, are perfect and aligned only with good.  God knows that is not the case.  Our past, present and indeed our future is and will be racked with horrible choices and actions that are not ordained by either "good" or God.  Our Messiah referenced this very issue as He wept over His holy city of Jerusalem and its history of sin and vile rejection of the Jewish prophets.  Nevertheless, this is about a God who chooses good, chooses righteousness, not necessarily people.  God chooses good in that He and He alone has made an eternal covenant to ensure the survival of His covenant people "until the stars and the sun stop shining"...that's a very long time!

And, how will this story end?

This blog is intended to stir your hearts and your minds to contemplate the importance of this modern miracle and its future.  In fact it is de facto intended to stir contemplation for ALL OF OUR FUTURES - because ALL OF US are tied to what is happening in Israel - whether we like it or not.  It is also intended to generate dialogue about cultural, geo-political and spiritual issues that impact ALL OF US - in the present, the near-future and, yes, into the "olam" - the Hebrew word for eternity.

I welcome any comments, corrections, encouragements, elucidations, questions, exhortations, brow-beating (with civility).  Only, please be prepared for honest discussion and debate if you are so inclined.

Thanks and Blessings to all.

Warmest Regards,
Dan.

Obama, Israel and the "New" Middle East

Much has been written already about the recent policy speech given by President Obama viz a vie the Middle East.  The lines have been drawn by supporters and detractors alike.  Many of you already know that I am not a great proponent of our current administration's Middle East policy.  While I pray earnestly that true wisdom and guidance will come to our nation's leadership, I am sorely disappointed by the here-to-fore poorly articulated policies and, the most recent clearly articulated focus of President Obama.

I recently had several on-line discussions with various friends on different chat sites that began as a result of an Op-Ed written by Caroline Glick, senior editor of the Jerusalem Post regarding Obama's policy speech at the State Department on May 19th.  Her original Op-Ed can be read at:

http://townhall.com/columnists/carolineglick/2011/05/20/obamas_abandonment_of_america

The following is a conglomeration of several conversations.  I would love your impressions...

Friend #1:

It sounds like an article written by someone with anti-Obama sentiment who is dissecting every little word from his speech & reading into it things that were not actually said, or even implied. The actual quotes from his speech, viewed objectively, distinct from the author's comments do not reflect the author's sentiment.

My Responses:

Oh, there is no question that Glick has strong anti-Obama sentiment, at least when it comes to his Middle East policy. Looking at things objectively (which is hard to do because of all the emotions involved, I'll duly admit), if one has any in-depth understanding of the Middle East from a historical context, what he SAID was dramatic. He didn't IMPLY that Israel should give up land in compliance with PA demands to go back to pre-1967 borders, HE SAID IT.  And this, my friend, is where the US ship of support for Israeli security and its unintended (or intended) consequences has set sail from the harbor.  Unfortunately, this one statement is the lynchpin that, if US policy follows, will be the undoing of peace in the Middle East, NOT the basis for it.

[And, interestingly, from a Biblical/prophetic perspective, this US/Obama policy push may add more fire under the kettle of the anti-Zionist commitment to isolate Israel and put in place the justification to unilaterally declare a Palestinian State based on these borders, with or without Israel's participation. If it is with Israel's participation, peace will only last so long before the Palestinians will want more. If it is without Israel's participation - which is more likely, it will only be a matter of time before the "world-wide" support for the Palestinian agenda leads to a greater conflagration and eventually full-on conflict with Israel.  Based on one interpretation of Daniel 9:27 and other prophetic scripture, Israel and us Jews may again be looking at the brink of extinction - with only one recourse for deliverance - to cry out for our Messiah for redemption and deliverance.  Clearly, if this looks like it will happen, I'll be on the next flight to Israel to fight right alongside my family and, while doing so, pray earnestly and proclaim the Good News at every step.  My current prayer is that there is much more time before this happens.]

Friend #2 to me:

Of course, you are clearly an Obama-hater also.  What did you want him to say?  He wants peace...and an end to the stalemate and oppression that is prevalent in that part of the world.

My Collective Responses:
If you didn't get it by now...at least as it applies to his Middle East policy, I am not only NOT a fan of Obama, I am and will continue to be a most outspoken and vehement critic. This is my take on what he has both SAID and IMPLIED over the last 2 years: Obama is inexperienced, lacks true wisdom, which he tries to make up for by appearing "progressive" and has a very flawed group of "thinkers" and policy-makers who are clearly globalists and humanists - and these are the people that shape his guiding principles.  While I pray that this changes, currently he has no concept of the spiritual, historical or ethno-cultural basis of Middle East politics or security.

He/they want to appear balanced to the world, but in so doing cater and cow to world opinion that is clearly counterproductive to US interests, US security and certainly US allies - but, more so, will actually feed into global chaos, not improve it. His policies are foolish, and if allowed to be carried out to their fullest, will undermine, not improve security and peace worldwide. The foundations for his policies are based on a humanistic, "messianic" concept of peace and harmony that is not only idealistic, but inane. Why? Because it is founded on the principle that everyone intuitively seeks peace and harmony, which is not only fatuous but totally illusory. Other than that, I love the guy!!!!

Friend #3:

History teaches us important lessons but also revives old wounds and idealistic or not, we are part of the global picture, not just defenders of our own interests - the time for imperialism is in the historical past.

My Final Response:
Ah, my friend...you are proving my point without a need for any retort on my part. Nevertheless, I will 'splain' my reasoning.  If you think imperialism is in the historical past, you are sadly mistaken.  Although you were probably referring to present-day Israeli and/or past US policy, you are regrettably misguided by the same idealism and benighted "world opinion" that Obama is trying desperately to cow to.

Have you ever read the foundational charters of the PLO or the Hamas? How about that of the Muslim Brotherhood, an organization that birthed Hamas and is poised to take over political control of Egypt? A direct quote from the Hamas charter:

"Israel will rise and will remain erect until Islam eliminates it as it had eliminated its predecessors...the Hamas has been looking forward to implement Allah’s promise whatever time it might take. The prophet, peace be upon him, said: The time will not come until Muslims will fight the Jews (and kill them); until the Jews hide behind rocks and trees, which will cry: O Muslim! there is a Jew hiding behind me, come on and kill him!" 

[I encourage you to read it in its entirety for yourself at:
http://www.thejerusalemfund.org/www.thejerusalemfund.org/carryover/documents/charter.html]

My friend, imperialism is alive and well!!  Only, it is not now, nor ever has been Israel's goal to be Imperialistic.  Just to survive - and to be an oasis of protection for Jews seeking to eliminate to possibility of another holocaust.  The definition of imperialism is: "the policy of EXTENDING the rule or authority of an empire or nation over foreign countries, or of acquiring and holding colonies and dependencies." Any land that Israel has taken has been in response to an attack on its sovereignty by other "nations" with avowed aspirations of "colonizing," or more accurately ERADICATING, the middle east of a Jewish presence...a presence which has populated the area far longer than any "Palestinian" or "Muslim" presence - over 4000 years.

So, the "old wounds" are not the issue...and history is not really the issue - although it is a fairly accurate predictor of future events.  The issue IS imperialism and SURVIVAL.  No Israeli wants to "occupy" land that is not theirs.  Only peace with a security that guarantees no further attacks on its sovereignty...viz a vie Islamic Imperialism.  The only possible answer is to have a neighbor that is interested in peaceful coexistence with Israel...which is not now, nor, sadly ever will be the case.

A peace treaty needs two partners who are committed to peace. That is what is so nauseatingly sad about this whole mess. There is only one partner that is truly looking for peace in this conflict. What is the solution? I don't believe there is one OTHER THAN A TRUE UNDERSTANDING OF THE REALITIES ON THE GROUND and a thorough spiritual look at the situation.

One thing I know for sure - the American "left" and the global idealists (i.e. secular humanists) are trying to force policy that will ENSURE IMPERIALISM in its most gruesome and heinous form - which is a repeat of the past that neither Israel nor any conscionable supporter of truth and human dignity would allow.   Idealism has not died...we can't let it...however, we idealists (I'm at the top of that list) need to get our heads out of the sand and understand what the real issues are before we can IMPOSE our idealism onto others. 

[We also need to study the reasons why all this is happening from a spiritual perspective - through understanding the "signs of the times" and "being sober and watching" with an eye to the fulfillment of biblical prophecy.


Unfortunately, if we are interpreting biblical prophecy correctly, Obama and his cronies as well as his partners in the globalist elite are playing right into the hands of evil, which will ultimately lead to an all-out invasion of Israel for one purpose and one purpose only: the Imperialistic endeavors of the "new" Islamic Middle East.  I guarantee the "Arab Spring" will turn into a "Worldwide Nightmare" if, as has been the case for 1400 years in the Islamic world, "past is prologue."  Don't believe me?  Watch and see.]