Written by Ascension Ministries
"They make shrewd plans against Thy people, and conspire together against Thy hidden ones. They have said, 'Come, and let us wipe them out as a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered no more.' For they have conspired together with one mind; against Thee do they make a covenant."
- Psalms 83:3-5 NAS
In 1964, the Palestinian National Council (PNC), representing the Arab governments hostile toward Israel, met in Cairo to draft the Palestinian National Covenant. This is the covenant that King David refers to in his prophecy about the Arab conspiracy to destroy Israel in the last days: Articles 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 30 call for either armed struggle against Israel, or the outright destruction of Israel. The terrorist organization known as the PLO was created to carry out this covenant, and their efforts to destroy Israel and the Jewish people are a matter of historical record.
The Palestinian National Covenant provided marching orders for the PLO until October 30, 1991 when the Madrid Peace Conference instituted the "Roadmap for Peace". At this time, the Palestinian National Covenant became an obstacle to any kind of peace agreement that might be obtained. Consequently, on May 23, 1996, the PNC reported that they had revoked passages in the covenant that would stop their armed struggle against the Jews and allow them to recognize Israel's right to exist. Unfortunately, the PNC did not officially pass the changes, but only reported they did in order to pacify world opinion.
Israel treated this report as one more attempted at deception by the PLO and demanded that the changes be officially adopted by a public vote of the PNC. As a result, at their 1998 Gaza Conference, the PNC, which is now the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), conducted a non-binding show-of-hands vote that revoked certain passages of the covenant which called for the destruction of Israel. Unfortunately, only small portions of Articles 9, 15, 19 and 22 were revoked, which actually did very little to neutralize the covenant's plans to destroy the Jewish State.
The following is the complete text of the Palestinian National Covenant, as it was published by the PLO in 1964. Passages underlined are the passages that the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) revoked at the Gaza Conference on the first day of Hanukkah, December 14, 1998. Passages in bold italics are the passages that still call for the elimination of Israel.
The Palestinian National Covenant
Article 1: Palestine is the homeland of the Arab Palestinian people; it is an indivisible part of the Arab homeland, and the Palestinian people are an integral part of the Arab nation.
Article 2: Palestine, with the boundaries it had during the British Mandate, is an indivisible territorial unit.
Article 3: The Palestinian people possess the legal right to their homeland and have the right to determine their destiny after achieving the liberation of their country in accordance with their wishes and entirely of their own accord and will.
Article 4: The Palestinian identity is a genuine, essential and inherent characteristic; it is transmitted from parents to children. The Zionist occupation and the dispersal of the Palestinian Arab people, through the disaster which befell them, do not make them lose their Palestinian identity and their membership of the Palestinian community, or do they negate them.
Article 5: The Palestinians are those Arab nationals who, until 1947, normally resided in Palestine regardless of whether they were evicted from it or have stayed there. Anyone born after that date, of a Palestinian father - whether inside Palestine or outside it - is also a Palestinian.
Article 6: The Jews who had normally resided in Palestine until the beginning of the Zionist invasion will be considered Palestinians.
Article 7: That there is a Palestinian community and that it has material, spiritual and historical connections with Palestine are indisputable facts. It is a national duty to bring up individual Palestinians in an Arab revolutionary manner. All means of information and education must be adopted in order to acquaint the Palestinian with his country in the most profound manner, both spiritual and material, that is possible. He must be prepared for the armed struggle and ready to sacrifice his wealth and his life in order to win back his homeland and bring about its liberation.
Article 8: The phase in their history through which the Palestinian people are now living, is that of national (watani) struggle for the liberation of Palestine. Thus the conflicts among the Palestinian national forces are secondary, and should be ended for the sake of the basic conflict that exists between the forces of Zionism and of the imperialism on the one hand, and the Palestinian Arab people on the other. On this basis the Palestinian masses, regardless of whether they are residing in the national homeland or in a Diaspora (mahajir) constitute - both their organization and the individuals - one national front working for the retrieval of Palestine and its liberation through armed struggle.
Article 9: Armed struggle is the only way to liberate Palestine. Thus it is the overall strategy, not merely a tactical phase. The Palestinian Arab people assert their absolute determination and firm resolution to continue their armed struggle and to work for an armed popular revolution for the liberation of their country and their return to it. They also assert their right to normal life in Palestine and to exercise their right to self-determination and sovereignty over it.
Article 10: Commando action constitutes the nucleus of the Palestinian popular liberation war. This requires its escalation, comprehensiveness and mobilization of all the Palestinian popular and educational efforts and their organization and involvement in the armed Palestinian revolution. It also requires the achieving of unity for the national (watani) struggle among the different groupings of the Palestinian people, and between the Palestinian people and the Arab masses so as to secure the continuation of the revolution, its escalation and victory.
Article 11: The Palestinians will have three mottoes: national (wataniyya) unity, national (qawmiyya) mobilization and liberation.
Article 12: The Palestinian people believe in Arab unity. In order to contribute their share towards the attainment of that objective, however, they must, at the present stage of their struggle, safeguard their Palestinian identity and develop their consciousness of that identity, and oppose any plan that may dissolve or impair it.
Article 13: Arab unity and the liberation of Palestine are two complementary objectives, the attainment of either of which facilitates the attainment of the other. Thus, Arab unity leads to the liberation of Palestine; the liberation of Palestine leads to Arab unity; and work towards the realization of one objective proceeds side by side with work towards the realization of the other.
Article 14: The destiny of the Arab nation, and indeed Arab existence itself, depends upon the destiny of the Palestinian cause. From this interdependence springs the Arab nation's pursuit of, and striving for, the liberation of Palestine. The people of Palestine play the role of the vanguard in the realization of this sacred national (qawmi) goal.
Article 15: The liberation of Palestine, from an Arab viewpoint, is a national (qawmi) duty and it attempts to repel the Zionist and imperialist aggression against the Arab homeland, and aims at the elimination of Zionism in Palestine. Absolute responsibility for this falls upon the Arab nation - peoples and governments - with the Arab people of Palestine in the vanguard. Accordingly the Arab nation must mobilize all its military, human, and moral and spiritual capabilities to participate actively with the Palestinian people in the liberation of Palestine.
It must, particularly in the phase of the armed Palestinian revolution, offer and furnish the Palestinian people with all possible help, and material and human support, and make available to them the means and opportunities that will enable them to continue to carry out their leading role in the armed revolution, until they liberate their homelands.
Article 16: The liberation of Palestine, from a spiritual point of view, will provide the Holy Land with an atmosphere of safety and tranquillity, which in turn will safeguard the country's religious sanctuaries and guarantee freedom of worship and of visit to all, without discrimination of race, colour, language, or religion. Accordingly, the people of Palestine look to all spiritual forces in the world for support.
Article 17: The liberation of Palestine, from a human point of view, will restore to the Palestinian individual his dignity, pride and freedom. Accordingly the Palestinian Arab people look forward to the support of all those who believe in the dignity of man and his freedom in the world.
Article 18: The liberation of Palestine, from an international point of view, is a defensive action necessitated by the demands of self-defense. Accordingly, the Palestinian people, desirous as they are of the friendship of all people, look to freedom-loving, justice-loving and peace-loving states for support in order to restore their legitimate rights in Palestine, to reestablish peace and security in the country, and to enable its people to exercise national sovereignty and freedom.
Article 19: The partition of Palestine in 1947 and the establishment of the State of Israel are entirely illegal, regardless of the passage of time, because they are contrary to the will of the Palestinian people and to their natural right in their homeland, and inconsistent with the principles embodied in the Charter of the United Nations, particularly the right to self-determination.
Article 20: The Balfour Declaration, the Mandate for Palestine and everything that has been based upon them, are deemed null and void. Claims of historical or religious ties of Jews with Palestine are incompatible with the facts of history and the true conception of what constitutes statehood. Judaism, being a religion, is not an independent nationality. Nor do Jews constitute a single nation with an identity of its own; they are citizens of the states to which they belong.
Article 21: The Arab Palestinian people, expressing themselves by the armed Palestinian revolution, reject all solutions which are substitutes for the total liberation of Palestine and reject all proposals aiming at the liquidation of the Palestinian problem, or its internationalization.
Article 22: Zionism is a political movement organically associated with international imperialism and antagonistic to all action for liberation and to progressive movements in the world. It is racist and fanatic in its nature, aggressive, expansionist and colonial in its aims, and Fascist in its methods. Israel is the instrument of the Zionist movement, and a geographical base for world imperialism placed strategically in the midst of the Arab homeland to combat the hopes of the Arab nation for liberation, unity and progress. Israel is a constant source of threat vis-ˆ-vis peace in the Middle East and the whole world. Since the liberation of Palestine will destroy the Zionist and imperialist presence and will contribute to the establishment of peace in the Middle East, the Palestinian people look for the support of all the progressive and peaceful forces and urge them all, irrespective of their affiliations and beliefs, to offer the Palestinian people all aid and support in their just struggle for the liberation of their homeland.
Article 23: The demands of security and peace, as well as the demands of right and justice, require all states to consider Zionism an illegitimate movement, to outlaw its existence, and to ban its operations, in order that friendly relations among peoples may be preserved, the loyalty of citizens to their respective homelands safeguarded.
Article 24: The Palestinian people believe in the principles of justice, freedom, sovereignty, self-determination, human dignity, and in the right of all peoples to exercise them.
Article 25: For the realization of the goals of this Charter and its principles, the Palestinian Liberation Organization will perform its role in the liberation of Palestine in accordance with the Constitution of the Organization.
Article 26: The Palestine Liberation Organization, representative of the Palestinian revolutionary forces, is responsible for the Palestinian Arab people's movement in its struggle - to retrieve its homeland, liberate and return to it and exercise their right to self-determination in it - in all military, political and financial fields and also for whatever may be required by the Palestinian case on the inter-Arab and international levels.
Article 27: The Palestine Liberation Organization shall cooperate with all Arab states, each according to its potentialities; and will adopt a neutral policy among them in the light of the requirements of the war of liberation; and on this basis it shall not interfere in the internal affairs of any Arab State.
Article 28: The Palestinian Arab people assert the genuineness and independence of their national (wataniyya) revolution and reject all forms of intervention, trusteeship and subordination.
Article 29: The Palestinian people possess the fundamental and genuine legal right to liberate and retrieve their homeland. The Palestinian people determine their attitude towards all states and forces on the basis of the stands they adopt vis-ˆ-vis the Palestinian case and the extent of the support they offer to the Palestinian revolution to fulfill the aims of the Palestinian people.
Article 30: Fighters and carriers of arms in the war of liberation are the nucleus of the popular army which will be the protective force for the gains of the Palestinian Arab people.
Article 31: The organization shall have a flag, an oath of allegiance and an anthem. All this shall be decided upon in accordance with a special regulation.
Article 32: Regulations, which shall be known as the Constitution of the Palestine Liberation Organization, shall be annexed to this Charter. It shall lay down the manner in which the Organization, and its organs and institutions, shall be constituted; the respective competence of each; and the requirements of its obligations under the Charter.
Article 33: This Charter shall not be amended save by (vote of) a majority of two-thirds of the total membership of the National Congress of the Palestine Liberation Organization (taken) at a special session convened for that purpose.
The Conspiracy Continues
As you can see, Articles 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 30 still call for armed struggle against Israel. Hence, the Palestinian National Covenant to destroy Israel is alive and well and is still the intended goal of the PNA. Unfortunately for the PNA, God equates their covenant to destroy Israel as a covenant against Him personally (Ps. 83:5), which is never a good thing to declare.
Add to this the fact that God has a Covenant of His own which blesses those who bless Israel and curse those who curse them (Gen. 12:1-3). In other words, Yahweh's covenant promises to turn the PNA's covenant to destroy Israel back against them until they are destroyed. This is not God's will, but it will happen if they fail to repent.
Let Us Pray
Therefore, let us pray that the Arab people would turn to Yahweh and accept Yeshua (Jesus) as their Messiah. Let us also pray that they would embrace God's Covenant to restore Israel to the Promised Land, so that they might receive His blessing.
However, for those who would ultimately reject God's Covenant with Israel, let us pray the prophetic prayer of war that David prayed against all those who seek to destroy His ancient Jewish people:
"Deal with them [the Arab conspirators] as with Midian, as with Sisera and Jabin, at the torrent of Kishon, who were destroyed at En-dor, who became as dung for the ground. Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, and all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna, who said, 'Let us possess for ourselves the pastures of God.' O my God, make them like the whirling dust; like chaff before the wind. Like fire that burns the forest, and like a flame that sets the mountains on fire, so pursue them with Thy tempest, and terrify them with Thy storm. Fill their faces with dishonor, that they may seek Thy name, O Lord (Yahweh). Let them be ashamed and dismayed forever; and let them be humiliated and perish, that they may know that Thou alone, whose name is the Lord (Yahweh), art the Most High over all the earth." (Psalms 83:9-18 NAS)
UN Resolutions 242 and 338
Written by Ascension Ministries
The Arab States and others who are hostile toward Israel make a lot of vague references to UN Resolutions 242 and 338 in the media. They say that these resolutions call for Israel to completely withdrawal to the Armistice Demarcation Lines of 1949 and 1950, which equate to the pre-1967 borders. More clearly stated, the Arabs insist that 242 requires Israel to give back all the land captured during the 1967 Six Day War, when defending themselves against an imminent attack by Egypt, Jordan and Syria with support from Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Algeria. According to the Arab's misinterpretation of 242, Israel would have to give up the West Bank (Judea and Samaria), the Gaza, The Golan Heights and East Jerusalem. This would create indefensible borders for Israel and further advance the Arab Covenant to destroy God's ancient Jewish people (Ps. 83).
Below is a chart that clarifies what 242 says, and what 242 means in simple language:
What 242 Says 1 What 242 Means
■"Termination of all claims or states of belligerency…"
■The Arab states must end the state of war initiated and maintained by them since their attempted invasion of Israel in 1948.
■"…respect for and acknowledgement of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of every State in the area…"
■The Arab states must recognize the State of Israel and its inherent right to exist.
■"… [every State's] right to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force."
■Israel is entitled to clear and defensible borders, which is the right of every nation and is guaranteed by international law
■"Withdrawal of Israel armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict."
■Israel should withdrawal from some, but not all of the territories captured in the June 1967 Six-Day War.
The most misinterpreted portion of 242 is the part that calls for Israeli "withdrawal from territories occupied in the recent [June 1967] conflict." The Arabs have deliberately misrepresented this to mean that Israel must completely withdraw to the pre-1967 borders. However, world leaders and other legal experts, who authored Resolution 242, do not interpret it this way.
Aurthur J. Goldberg, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (1965-1967) and an author of Resolution 242, said:
"It [242] calls for respect and acknowledgement of the sovereignty of every state in the area. Since Israel never denied the sovereignty of its neighboring countries, this language obviously requires those [Arab] countries to acknowledge Israel's sovereignty.
The notable omission in regards to withdrawal are the words 'the' or 'all' and 'the June 5, 1967 lines'... the resolution speaks of withdrawal from occupied territories, without defining the extent of withdrawal." 2
Lord Caradon, U.K. Ambassador to the UN (1964-1970), was another author of UN Resolution 242. He confirmed this interpretation when he said:
"We didn't say there should be a withdrawal to the '67' line; we did not put the 'the' in, we did not say "all the territories," deliberately... We all knew that the boundaries of '67' were not drawn as permanent frontiers; they were a cease-fire line of a couple of decades earlier... We did not say that the '67' boundaries must be forever." 3
UN Security Council Resolution 338 did nothing more than to reaffirm Resolution 242 when fighting broke out between Arabs and Jews after 242 was passed. 4 Eugene V. Rostow, U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs (1966-1969), clarifies both 242 and 338 in their entirety when he said:
"Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338É rest on two principles. Israel may administer the territory until its Arab neighbors make peace; and when peace is made, Israel should withdraw to 'secure and recognized borders,' which need not be the same as the Armistice Demarcation Lines of 1949." 5
This is clear evidence that 242 and 338 do not call on Israel to withdraw to the pre-1967 borders, but to secure and defensible borders, which is all that Israel has ever wanted.
Author's Note: This does not mean that I believe Israel should withdrawal from Judea and Samaria and allow the creation of a Palestinian State. I'm only pointing out the deception in the Arab's misrepresentation of 242 and 338 as part of their continuing effort to eradicate the Jews.
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1.U.N. Security Council Resolution 242 - November 22, 1967:
The Security Council,
Expressing its continuing concern with the grave situation in the Middle East, Emphasizing the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war and the need to work for a just and lasting peace in which every State in the area can live in security.
Emphasizing further that all Member States in their acceptance of the Charter of the United Nations have undertaken a commitment to act in accordance with Article 2 of the Charter, Affirms that the fulfillment of Charter principles requires the establishment of a just and lasting peace in the Middle East which should include the application of both the following principles:
Withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict;
2.Termination of all claims or states of belligerency and respect for and acknowledgement of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of every State in the area and their right to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force;
Affirms further the necessity:
■For guaranteeing freedom of navigation through international waterways in the area;
■For achieving a just settlement of the refugee problem;
■For guaranteeing the territorial inviolability and political independence of every State in the area, through measures including the establishment of demilitarized zones;
Requests the Secretary General to designate a Special Representative to proceed to the Middle East to establish and maintain contacts with the States concerned in order to promote agreement and assist efforts to achieve a peaceful and accepted settlement in accordance with the provisions and principles in this resolution; Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Security Council on the progress of the efforts of the Special Representative as soon as possible.
3.Arthur J. Goldberg, U.S. Ambassador to the UN, The Meaning of 242, June 10, 1977. Source: Israel Information Center.
4.Lord Caradon, U.K. Ambassador to the UN, MacNeil/Lehrer Report, March 30, 1978. Source: Israel Information Center.
5.U.N. Security Council Resolution 338: The Security Council,
Calls upon all parties to present fighting to cease all firing and terminate all military activity immediately, no later than 12 hours after the moment of the adoption of this decision, in the positions after the moment of the adoption of this decision, in the positions they now occupy;
Calls upon all parties concerned to start immediately after the cease-fire the implementation of Security Council Resolution 242 (1967) in all of its parts;
Decides that, immediately and concurrently with the cease-fire, negotiations start between the parties concerned under appropriate auspices aimed at establishing a just and durable peace in the Middle East.
6.Eugene V. Rostow, U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, The Truth About 242, November 5, 1990. Source: Israel Information Center.
The Arab States and others who are hostile toward Israel make a lot of vague references to UN Resolutions 242 and 338 in the media. They say that these resolutions call for Israel to completely withdrawal to the Armistice Demarcation Lines of 1949 and 1950, which equate to the pre-1967 borders. More clearly stated, the Arabs insist that 242 requires Israel to give back all the land captured during the 1967 Six Day War, when defending themselves against an imminent attack by Egypt, Jordan and Syria with support from Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Algeria. According to the Arab's misinterpretation of 242, Israel would have to give up the West Bank (Judea and Samaria), the Gaza, The Golan Heights and East Jerusalem. This would create indefensible borders for Israel and further advance the Arab Covenant to destroy God's ancient Jewish people (Ps. 83).
Below is a chart that clarifies what 242 says, and what 242 means in simple language:
What 242 Says 1 What 242 Means
■"Termination of all claims or states of belligerency…"
■The Arab states must end the state of war initiated and maintained by them since their attempted invasion of Israel in 1948.
■"…respect for and acknowledgement of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of every State in the area…"
■The Arab states must recognize the State of Israel and its inherent right to exist.
■"… [every State's] right to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force."
■Israel is entitled to clear and defensible borders, which is the right of every nation and is guaranteed by international law
■"Withdrawal of Israel armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict."
■Israel should withdrawal from some, but not all of the territories captured in the June 1967 Six-Day War.
The most misinterpreted portion of 242 is the part that calls for Israeli "withdrawal from territories occupied in the recent [June 1967] conflict." The Arabs have deliberately misrepresented this to mean that Israel must completely withdraw to the pre-1967 borders. However, world leaders and other legal experts, who authored Resolution 242, do not interpret it this way.
Aurthur J. Goldberg, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (1965-1967) and an author of Resolution 242, said:
"It [242] calls for respect and acknowledgement of the sovereignty of every state in the area. Since Israel never denied the sovereignty of its neighboring countries, this language obviously requires those [Arab] countries to acknowledge Israel's sovereignty.
The notable omission in regards to withdrawal are the words 'the' or 'all' and 'the June 5, 1967 lines'... the resolution speaks of withdrawal from occupied territories, without defining the extent of withdrawal." 2
Lord Caradon, U.K. Ambassador to the UN (1964-1970), was another author of UN Resolution 242. He confirmed this interpretation when he said:
"We didn't say there should be a withdrawal to the '67' line; we did not put the 'the' in, we did not say "all the territories," deliberately... We all knew that the boundaries of '67' were not drawn as permanent frontiers; they were a cease-fire line of a couple of decades earlier... We did not say that the '67' boundaries must be forever." 3
UN Security Council Resolution 338 did nothing more than to reaffirm Resolution 242 when fighting broke out between Arabs and Jews after 242 was passed. 4 Eugene V. Rostow, U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs (1966-1969), clarifies both 242 and 338 in their entirety when he said:
"Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338É rest on two principles. Israel may administer the territory until its Arab neighbors make peace; and when peace is made, Israel should withdraw to 'secure and recognized borders,' which need not be the same as the Armistice Demarcation Lines of 1949." 5
This is clear evidence that 242 and 338 do not call on Israel to withdraw to the pre-1967 borders, but to secure and defensible borders, which is all that Israel has ever wanted.
Author's Note: This does not mean that I believe Israel should withdrawal from Judea and Samaria and allow the creation of a Palestinian State. I'm only pointing out the deception in the Arab's misrepresentation of 242 and 338 as part of their continuing effort to eradicate the Jews.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.U.N. Security Council Resolution 242 - November 22, 1967:
The Security Council,
Expressing its continuing concern with the grave situation in the Middle East, Emphasizing the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war and the need to work for a just and lasting peace in which every State in the area can live in security.
Emphasizing further that all Member States in their acceptance of the Charter of the United Nations have undertaken a commitment to act in accordance with Article 2 of the Charter, Affirms that the fulfillment of Charter principles requires the establishment of a just and lasting peace in the Middle East which should include the application of both the following principles:
Withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict;
2.Termination of all claims or states of belligerency and respect for and acknowledgement of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of every State in the area and their right to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force;
Affirms further the necessity:
■For guaranteeing freedom of navigation through international waterways in the area;
■For achieving a just settlement of the refugee problem;
■For guaranteeing the territorial inviolability and political independence of every State in the area, through measures including the establishment of demilitarized zones;
Requests the Secretary General to designate a Special Representative to proceed to the Middle East to establish and maintain contacts with the States concerned in order to promote agreement and assist efforts to achieve a peaceful and accepted settlement in accordance with the provisions and principles in this resolution; Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Security Council on the progress of the efforts of the Special Representative as soon as possible.
3.Arthur J. Goldberg, U.S. Ambassador to the UN, The Meaning of 242, June 10, 1977. Source: Israel Information Center.
4.Lord Caradon, U.K. Ambassador to the UN, MacNeil/Lehrer Report, March 30, 1978. Source: Israel Information Center.
5.U.N. Security Council Resolution 338: The Security Council,
Calls upon all parties to present fighting to cease all firing and terminate all military activity immediately, no later than 12 hours after the moment of the adoption of this decision, in the positions after the moment of the adoption of this decision, in the positions they now occupy;
Calls upon all parties concerned to start immediately after the cease-fire the implementation of Security Council Resolution 242 (1967) in all of its parts;
Decides that, immediately and concurrently with the cease-fire, negotiations start between the parties concerned under appropriate auspices aimed at establishing a just and durable peace in the Middle East.
6.Eugene V. Rostow, U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, The Truth About 242, November 5, 1990. Source: Israel Information Center.
Messiah's Warning to the Church
By Norm Franz
First Published: June 15, 2001 | Last update: August 6, 2009
In chapters two and three of the book of Revelation, Jesus speaks to the seven churches of Asia Minor. He addresses both their accomplishments, as well as their on going rebellion. Then He commands five of the seven churches to repent or they will not share in the great rewards of the overcomers in Jesus Christ.
Prophetically speaking, Jesus is also describing the condition of the worldwide body of Christ as we enter the end of the age. He commends us for our accomplishments, but He also rebukes us for our rebellion, and commands us to repent.
The Church of Laodicea is unique in that it has no good deeds, but is a lukewarm church that ends up being spit out of God's mouth. Their lukewarmness is the result of their great love of money and their lust for riches that leads them to seek prosperity rather than God's righteousness. This church builds an artificial wealth that caused them to believe they are rich and wealthy and have need of nothing, but God says they are really wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked:
"And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: 'I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked...'" (Revelation 3:14-17 NAS)
Today, the church of Laodicea is that part of the body that emphasizes financial prosperity over biblical righteousness. I'm talking about the prosperity gospel which teaches that having money is the primary sign of spirituality. If this were true, Donald Trump, Bill Gates and Warren Buffet would all be apostles.
Consequently, this has led many Christian believers to chase after every kind of money-making, get rich quick scheme imaginable. From the off-shore arbitrages that never pay off, to leveraged options trading in the currency markets, to promises of huge transfers of wealth that are continuously delayed, the prosperity church has abandoned the commandments of God for the sake of gaining a buck.
However, when these prosperity schemes fail, debt always seems to be their fallback position. That's because debt gives them the image of prosperity without them actually having to be prosperous. Moreover, the OPM (Other People's Money) syndrome, which promotes borrowing your way to prosperity, has driven the body of Messiah into the debt pit along with the most of the world. In other words, they look wealthy, but in the end they are really nothing more than debtors who are the slaves (property) of their lenders (Pr. 22:7; Rev, 18:13).
Rich Man Poor Man
In every financial crisis since the 1987 stock market crash, I have met with numerous rich men who have become poor men over night. One wealthy industrialist from Indonesia said that, before Asia's financial crisis hit in 1997, he had the wealth of seven generations, but after the crisis hit, all he had was a mountain of debt that ten generations could not pay back.
In other words, before 1997, he considered himself to be rich and wealthy and in need of nothing, but when the debt bubble collapsed, it revealed that most of his wealth was only an image build on debt that could not be paid back. Consequently, overnight he and many other believers in Asia discovered that they were rich men, who were actually poor men of the church of Laodicea.
Unfortunately, the current global financial crisis has revealed that many believers around the world, who thought they were prosperous, are actually broke. Material possessions purchased with credit, that once made them look wealthy, have been repossessed by their true owners - i.e., the lenders. As a result, they are coming to realize that they too are part of the "Rich Man" who is really a "Poor Man" church of Laodicea.
Great End Time Shaking
I believe that all the financial calamities since 1987 have been part of the great end time shaking that God is using to expose the unrighteousness of the world financial system. Consequently, today's global economic crisis is one of the great prophetic sign that we are moving rapidly toward the end of the age and the return of Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah.
The financial losses are a form of discipline that is designed to wake us up and call us to repent and return to the ways of God. Therefore, Yeshua's (Jesus') message to end time church of Laodicea is the same as that of the Apostle John's day:
"Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." (Revelation 3:19-21)
In His love and mercy, God is giving those who have found themselves to part this lukewarm church another opportunity to return to His ways in the area of finance and investments. May we all hear His cry and repent.
First Published: June 15, 2001 | Last update: August 6, 2009
In chapters two and three of the book of Revelation, Jesus speaks to the seven churches of Asia Minor. He addresses both their accomplishments, as well as their on going rebellion. Then He commands five of the seven churches to repent or they will not share in the great rewards of the overcomers in Jesus Christ.
Prophetically speaking, Jesus is also describing the condition of the worldwide body of Christ as we enter the end of the age. He commends us for our accomplishments, but He also rebukes us for our rebellion, and commands us to repent.
The Church of Laodicea is unique in that it has no good deeds, but is a lukewarm church that ends up being spit out of God's mouth. Their lukewarmness is the result of their great love of money and their lust for riches that leads them to seek prosperity rather than God's righteousness. This church builds an artificial wealth that caused them to believe they are rich and wealthy and have need of nothing, but God says they are really wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked:
"And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: 'I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked...'" (Revelation 3:14-17 NAS)
Today, the church of Laodicea is that part of the body that emphasizes financial prosperity over biblical righteousness. I'm talking about the prosperity gospel which teaches that having money is the primary sign of spirituality. If this were true, Donald Trump, Bill Gates and Warren Buffet would all be apostles.
Consequently, this has led many Christian believers to chase after every kind of money-making, get rich quick scheme imaginable. From the off-shore arbitrages that never pay off, to leveraged options trading in the currency markets, to promises of huge transfers of wealth that are continuously delayed, the prosperity church has abandoned the commandments of God for the sake of gaining a buck.
However, when these prosperity schemes fail, debt always seems to be their fallback position. That's because debt gives them the image of prosperity without them actually having to be prosperous. Moreover, the OPM (Other People's Money) syndrome, which promotes borrowing your way to prosperity, has driven the body of Messiah into the debt pit along with the most of the world. In other words, they look wealthy, but in the end they are really nothing more than debtors who are the slaves (property) of their lenders (Pr. 22:7; Rev, 18:13).
Rich Man Poor Man
In every financial crisis since the 1987 stock market crash, I have met with numerous rich men who have become poor men over night. One wealthy industrialist from Indonesia said that, before Asia's financial crisis hit in 1997, he had the wealth of seven generations, but after the crisis hit, all he had was a mountain of debt that ten generations could not pay back.
In other words, before 1997, he considered himself to be rich and wealthy and in need of nothing, but when the debt bubble collapsed, it revealed that most of his wealth was only an image build on debt that could not be paid back. Consequently, overnight he and many other believers in Asia discovered that they were rich men, who were actually poor men of the church of Laodicea.
Unfortunately, the current global financial crisis has revealed that many believers around the world, who thought they were prosperous, are actually broke. Material possessions purchased with credit, that once made them look wealthy, have been repossessed by their true owners - i.e., the lenders. As a result, they are coming to realize that they too are part of the "Rich Man" who is really a "Poor Man" church of Laodicea.
Great End Time Shaking
I believe that all the financial calamities since 1987 have been part of the great end time shaking that God is using to expose the unrighteousness of the world financial system. Consequently, today's global economic crisis is one of the great prophetic sign that we are moving rapidly toward the end of the age and the return of Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah.
The financial losses are a form of discipline that is designed to wake us up and call us to repent and return to the ways of God. Therefore, Yeshua's (Jesus') message to end time church of Laodicea is the same as that of the Apostle John's day:
"Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." (Revelation 3:19-21)
In His love and mercy, God is giving those who have found themselves to part this lukewarm church another opportunity to return to His ways in the area of finance and investments. May we all hear His cry and repent.
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