I’m sure that most of you have heard about the controversy that arose over the Danish cartoon of Mohammed, and the riots that are still in progress in Moslem communities throughout the world. Taking his cues from this conflagration, someone decided to scribble degrading words against Islam’s prophet on the outside walls of a mosque, most likely with the hope that it would start an Arab uprising in Israel and against Jews all over the world.
The little town where this took place happens to lie just below us, and is about a half mile north east of our town. The village of Nabi Elias (“Prophet Elijah”) is known for its friendliness, with the road connecting us to other Israeli towns (settlements), to the northeast, passing right through it. But two days ago a shot rang out and a resident of one of the Israeli communities was seriously wounded in the neck. Another was killed in a drive by shooting further into Samaria. Was there a connection between the graffiti and the cost of a life?
Due to the circumstances that Islam has launched the world into, much is being written about Islam, the Arab world, and the Koran. There is one factor that controls this religion and unites its devotees, and that is Pride which demands honor, respect, and compliance – Karameh is the Arabic term. This concept is at the center of its worldview and the prime cause and motivator of actions, both individual and corporate. A word or deed that is construed as an offense to Karameh, will be met by retaliation and revenge. There was no question in anyone’s mind that after those words were scribbled, it would be only a matter of time before something would happen. Pride never forgives nor forgets and is never satisfied. In yesterday’s paper, an Israeli military officer said that we should expect the Palestinians to return to the days of the stone throwing. “Stone throwing,” means war not strictly with adults, but also with a child of any age who can pick up a stone and hurl it. In the Gaza Strip, for example, our soldiers were psychologically challenged because they had to deal day after day with young children throwing stones while their older brothers were standing behind them with weapons. Almost everyone knew that this method would win the war for the Palestinians. Thus we have given in time after time to these little Palestinian “Davids”. Hamas has used its little ones, trained by their mothers to hate, to step out with sticks and stones and stand in front of Israeli tanks and soldiers. Some, who year after year have cultivated this brave attitude, are now strapping explosives belts and sacrificing themselves to Islam’s god of Karameh.
The spirit of pride will not be satisfied until all of its objectives are completed, and that is the elimination of anything that stands in its way. Pride has no value on life, it will “steal, kill and destroy”, it also has no political or religious bounds, nor does it take age into account, it has one objective and that is to satisfy ITS SELF. This is the picture of the Anti-Messiah’s rule on earth, not only in our generation, but ever since Man ate of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Satan was in that tree, and it was the fruit of his nature of pride that Man received into the soil of his heart. We are all victims of this sinister plan. However, Elohim, the Creator, has a full proof plan to destroy the works of Satan. He began this work when He made a covenant with a very old man called Abraham and intervened in the dead and barren womb of his elderly wife Sarah. Elohim did it again in two other wombs of barren women. And so, when the time came for the conception of His only begotten Son, in the womb of a virgin, the Creator, who had already demonstrated His ability to bring life out of death, had no problem accomplishing it.
Thus the words that Elohim spoke to Satan in the beginning (Genesis 3:15): “and I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed; He [the seed of woman] shall crush your head, and you will bruise his heel” (the name “Jacob” comes from the word heel), are fulfilled. For out of a virgin woman from the seed Jacob came YHVH’s only begotten Son to redeem the House of Jacob and to set up His heavenly Father’s Kingdom in that house. His rule and dominion here on earth will crush the head of pride in the hearts of men and thus end Satan’s rule on earth.
Satan is being allowed to express himself fully at this time, but only to be destroyed once and for all. Therefore "Elohim resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of Elohim, that He may honor you in due time” (1 Peter 5:5-6). “But the humble shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace” (Psalm 37:11).
Ephraim
The little town where this took place happens to lie just below us, and is about a half mile north east of our town. The village of Nabi Elias (“Prophet Elijah”) is known for its friendliness, with the road connecting us to other Israeli towns (settlements), to the northeast, passing right through it. But two days ago a shot rang out and a resident of one of the Israeli communities was seriously wounded in the neck. Another was killed in a drive by shooting further into Samaria. Was there a connection between the graffiti and the cost of a life?
Due to the circumstances that Islam has launched the world into, much is being written about Islam, the Arab world, and the Koran. There is one factor that controls this religion and unites its devotees, and that is Pride which demands honor, respect, and compliance – Karameh is the Arabic term. This concept is at the center of its worldview and the prime cause and motivator of actions, both individual and corporate. A word or deed that is construed as an offense to Karameh, will be met by retaliation and revenge. There was no question in anyone’s mind that after those words were scribbled, it would be only a matter of time before something would happen. Pride never forgives nor forgets and is never satisfied. In yesterday’s paper, an Israeli military officer said that we should expect the Palestinians to return to the days of the stone throwing. “Stone throwing,” means war not strictly with adults, but also with a child of any age who can pick up a stone and hurl it. In the Gaza Strip, for example, our soldiers were psychologically challenged because they had to deal day after day with young children throwing stones while their older brothers were standing behind them with weapons. Almost everyone knew that this method would win the war for the Palestinians. Thus we have given in time after time to these little Palestinian “Davids”. Hamas has used its little ones, trained by their mothers to hate, to step out with sticks and stones and stand in front of Israeli tanks and soldiers. Some, who year after year have cultivated this brave attitude, are now strapping explosives belts and sacrificing themselves to Islam’s god of Karameh.
The spirit of pride will not be satisfied until all of its objectives are completed, and that is the elimination of anything that stands in its way. Pride has no value on life, it will “steal, kill and destroy”, it also has no political or religious bounds, nor does it take age into account, it has one objective and that is to satisfy ITS SELF. This is the picture of the Anti-Messiah’s rule on earth, not only in our generation, but ever since Man ate of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Satan was in that tree, and it was the fruit of his nature of pride that Man received into the soil of his heart. We are all victims of this sinister plan. However, Elohim, the Creator, has a full proof plan to destroy the works of Satan. He began this work when He made a covenant with a very old man called Abraham and intervened in the dead and barren womb of his elderly wife Sarah. Elohim did it again in two other wombs of barren women. And so, when the time came for the conception of His only begotten Son, in the womb of a virgin, the Creator, who had already demonstrated His ability to bring life out of death, had no problem accomplishing it.
Thus the words that Elohim spoke to Satan in the beginning (Genesis 3:15): “and I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed; He [the seed of woman] shall crush your head, and you will bruise his heel” (the name “Jacob” comes from the word heel), are fulfilled. For out of a virgin woman from the seed Jacob came YHVH’s only begotten Son to redeem the House of Jacob and to set up His heavenly Father’s Kingdom in that house. His rule and dominion here on earth will crush the head of pride in the hearts of men and thus end Satan’s rule on earth.
Satan is being allowed to express himself fully at this time, but only to be destroyed once and for all. Therefore "Elohim resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of Elohim, that He may honor you in due time” (1 Peter 5:5-6). “But the humble shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace” (Psalm 37:11).
Ephraim
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