You don’t have to be a prophet to know what’s going on in the world and what the future holds.
But here’s what you do have to do. In fact, if you do the following things you will most likely understand more than 99% of society and 99.99% of the leaders of this world.
First of all, you have to be a regular reader of the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation. I read the Bible through every year (except this year when I decided to read only the New Testament in Hebrew – as it takes me longer.)
By going over every verse (I admit I do skim over some – but not all – of the genealogies and repetitions) every year, you begin to get an overall view of how God deals with individuals and nations. Here’s some of the lessons I’ve absorbed in my reading:
1. When a nation follows the true God by loving Him and obeying His commandments, God blesses that nation. Leaders will make mistakes, but if they are God-fearing, He comes to the rescue.
2. When a nation forgets God, judgment is absolutely sure to come. Often it comes so slowly that most are not aware of the downward trend. But sooner or later, catastrophe follows.
3. Those nations who have never known God are held to a somewhat lower moral standard then those who knew the truth and left it. (See Mathew 10:15)
4. If a backslidden nation returns to God and pleads for mercy while forsaking it’s sin, God will have mercy and save that nation.
5. A nation that comes against Israel will be cursed. A nation that stands with Israel will be blessed.
Certainly Europe is a carbon copy of ancient Israel as recorded in Scripture. Europe as a whole no longer regards God as the center of its life and love.
Secondly, Europe is becoming as dangerous to Israel’s existence as Islamic extremists. You say, “How’s that?” On Wednesday, November 11, 2015, 28 European nations voted to attempt to strangle Israel’s economy by labeling all products from Judea and Samaria, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights as produced by “settlements in occupied Palestinian territory.”
On Friday, France was attacked by ISIS. Are the two events cause and effect? That would not be an intelligent conclusion. In God’s eyes, His judgments are far more complex than punishment for one act. Nevertheless the timing is striking.
On the same Friday as the attack in Paris, a Spanish judge preposterously drew up warrants for the arrest of Prime Minister Netanyahu and six other cabinet members over the Marmara affair, when Israel boarded a boat from Turkey trying to break Israel’s shipping blockade to keep Hamas from smuggling weapons into Gaza for strikes against Israel. As my father used to say when my behavior was nearing the tipping point, “Just keep it up, girl! Just keep it up!”
There’s loads of more that could be said, but you get the essence.
Secondly, every responsible citizen should familiarize himself with Islam. There are many excellent books written by Christian scholars and conservative experts – some of whom were once Muslim Scholars, who will give you the absolute bottom line. Start with Gatestone Institute.
Lastly, familiarize yourself with Israel’s history and issues. You will enjoy The Mountains of Israel by Norma Parrish Archbold, a very readable booklet that explores what the Bible says about the West Bank. Alan Dershowitz’ The Case for Israel is brilliant.
Take this example: The world is shouting “Get ISIS! We must defeat ISIS!” Israelis know the main enemy is not ISIS. They know it is Islam. If ISIS is defeated, ISIS2 then 3 will pop up. The source is Islam. Because the West doesn’t know this, they will keep persecuting Israel for trying to defend herself from Islam.
So if you do these above, you will be on your way to becoming one of the world’s few experts who can only look with awe on the media and most politicians as it spouts drivel – the blind leading the blind.
This article originally appeared on Maoz Israel Blog, November 15, 2015.