Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

Unbelief and Disobedience
Dec 8th, 2008
Weekly CommentaryArt Sadlier
Categories: Commentary;The Nation Of Israel;Anti-Israel

Prime Minister Olmert and his government has lost the vision of an Israeli state on the land that God has promised to them over and over in the scriptures. Last Friday, the IDF violently removed 14 Jewish families from Beit HaShalom. The issue of who owns the home is still before the courts, yet the Israeli government could not wait to evict these Jewish citizens.

The leaders of Israel have for some time worked against their own people. First they forcibly removed Jewish citizens from the Gaza strip and gave their land to the enemies of Israel, with disastrous consequences. Now Olmert has vowed to remove the Jews from Judea and Samaria and settle them in the Negev dessert area. He has apparently determined to give East Jerusalem (biblical Jerusalem) and the Temple Mount to Israel’s sworn enemies who insist they will not settle for anything less than all of Palestine. The Golan Heights is also a part of Israel’s inheritance, but that is nothing to Olmert as he is committed to give it away to Syria.

Understand, the majority of the Jewish people support the position of these leaders of Israel, the unbelief is not limited to the leaders.

Why is all this happening? The US, EU, UN and all of the world’s leaders are bowing to the pressure the Islamic nations are placing on them, oil speaks. Israel’s leaders are fearful to stand up against this pressure, they are filled with fear, unbelief and disobedience. They are saying, we cannot trust God to help and protect us, even in the light of God’s miraculous help in the three wars since independence.

For 3500 years Israel has suffered the judgment of God upon them for their unbelief and disobedience.

God hates disobedience and unbelief, He always brings judgment upon it! The prophetic scriptures reveal clearly that Israel is soon to face one final great judgment at God’s hand for unbelief and disobedience. Just as Israel failed to believe God at Kadesh-Barnea and faced the awful judgment of God as every adult died in the wilderness, leaving the next generation to inherit the land. So likewise, God is going to bring the Day of the Lord judgment upon Israel and put an end to Israel’s unbelief forever. Read about that climactic event in Zechariah 13:8-9.

The Transfiguration
Dec 8th, 2008
CommentaryMorning Meditation
Categories: Today's Headlines;Book Study;Inspirational

Jesus, wearied with His toils and requiring time for private intercourse with His friends to prepare them for the approaching tragedy, of which they were strangely unconscious, He traveled northward with His disciples, avoiding the larger towns, until they reached one of the smaller villages nestling on the lower slopes of Mount Hermon, which towers into the clouds and forms a majestic barrier on the northern frontier of Palestine. There they seem to have rested for about a week. Think how they may have spent those days! Watching the snows on the upper peaks flush in the dawn and glow in the sunset, as if aflame. Reveling in the fertility, which centuries before had been compared to the fragrant oil anointing the high priest. Visiting the ancient forest of cedars from which Hiram's servants had hewn the beams of Solomon's temple; or the mountain springs, where the familiar Jordan had its source. A week would quickly pass amid engagements such as these, blended, as they must have been, with intercourse on the loftiest themes.

After eight days, Jesus took with Him His three mighties -- Peter, James, and John; and as the evening shadows darkened over the world, He led them up to some neighboring summit, removed from the sight and sound of men. He went to brace Himself for the coming conflict by prayer, and perhaps for the earlier part of the night the favored three bore Him fellowship. But they soon grew weary, and presently, as afterward in Gethsemane, were wrapt in heavy sleep -- though dimly conscious of their Master's presence as He poured out His soul with strong cryings and tears. We know not how many hours elapsed before they were suddenly startled from their slumbers -- not by the gentle touch of morning light, but beneath the stroke of the unbearable glory which streamed from their Master's person, The fashion of His countenance was altered; the deep lines of care that had seamed it were obliterated; the look of pensive sadness was gone. "His face did shine as the sun;" not lit up as that of Moses was, by reflection from without, but illumined from within, as if the hidden glory of the Shekinah, too long concealed, were bursting through the veil of flesh, kindling it to radiance as it passed. "His raiment" -- the common homespun of the country -- "was white and glistering;" more resplendent than the glistening snow above, as though angels had woven {177} it of light. But perhaps the greatest marvel of all was the presence of the august pair "which were Moses and Elias: who appeared in glory and spake of his decease [His exodus -- out of death into new and resurrection life] which he should accomplish at Jerusalem" (Luke 9:30-31). - F. B. Meyer