Notes - Calvary Chapel Kaneohe with Pastor JD Farag

Mid-East Prophecy Update – June 22nd, 2014
- For today’s prophecy update we will finish dispelling the third of three myths that have seemingly been embraced by the world as the truth.
- Actually, it’s for this reason that I sensed the Holy Spirit would have me to set the record straight as it were in a day when the lies abound.
- For the benefit of those who may not have been with us for the first two I’ll quickly list all three myths starting with Myth #1 three weeks ago.
Myth #1 - A “Two-State Solution” with Jews and Palestinians living side by side in “peace and security.
Truth - There’s no such thing as a Palestinian. As such, there’s no such thing as a Palestine, thus there’s no need for a state of Palestine.
Myth #2 - We all worship the same God, as Allah and Jehovah are one.
Truth - The Muslim god Allah and the Judeo Christian God Jehovah aren’t the same such that, Allah is a false god Jehovah the true God.
Myth #3 - Jerusalem is the holy site of Islam and as such should be divided between the Jews and Palestinians.
Truth - Jerusalem has been, is now, and will always be Israel’s eternal capital by virtue of the God of Israel’s name of ownership upon it.
- I’ll begin with the presupposition we all agree the world today has been given over to a satanic obsession and intoxication with Jerusalem.
- Namely, dividing of Jerusalem, vis-à-vis borders around Jerusalem, as enemies stand at the ready to launch an attack against Jerusalem.
- I would suggest Jerusalem is the common denominator with everything that we now see taking place on today’s landscape geopolitically.
Zechariah 12:1-3 The burden of the word of the LORD against Israel. Thus says the LORD, who stretches out the heavens, lays the
foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him: (2) "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding
peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. (3) And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone
for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.
- Please indulge me as I argue the case “that” Jerusalem is the intoxicating obsession of the entire world, then, I’ll present the case for “why.”
- I’ve been following this particular prophecy for well over twenty years now, and managed by the grace of God to save an article from 1995.
- It was published in the LA Times with the headline reading virtually like Zechariah’s prophecy “Jerusalem is the Stumbling Block to Peace.”
- Fast forward to November 1st, 2009; News VOA.Com posts a similar one, “Jerusalem Emerges as Stumbling Block in Mideast Peace Talks”
http://www.voanews.com/content/a-13-2007-10-11-voa25/346748.html
- It’s important to understand that all three of the world’s main religions lay claims to Jerusalem, of which only two of these religions are true.
- I’m speaking of course about Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, however, the problem is that Islam is false and thus Jerusalem a false claim.
- The fact of the matter is Jerusalem is not mentioned even one time in the Qur’an despite attempts by Muslims to interpret texts otherwise.
- Be that as it may, I won’t take the time to go into all the reasons that only Judaism and Christianity can lay legitimate claims to Jerusalem.
- However, I will take the time to address a more recent indicator that this prophecy in Zechariah twelve is now on the cusp of being fulfilled.
- What I’m speaking of is the Pope’s recent visit to Jerusalem, and his subsequent prayer meeting at the Vatican for a peace in Jerusalem.
- Time doesn’t permit me to explain in depth the profound prophetic significance of this recent visit to Jerusalem by Pope Francis last month.
- Suffice it to say, he has inserted himself into the all-illusive peace agreement that here-to-fore has failed to solve the Jerusalem problem.
- However, if he’s met with success, then it may very well lead to Jerusalem coming under the antichrist’s control via Israel’s third temple.
- This brings us to the why. Why Jerusalem? Why is this movement afoot against the God of Israel, and the capital of Israel gaining traction?
- Let me first answer this by mentioning the name of God and the name of Jerusalem are not mutually exclusive in that they’re synonymous.
- By that I mean the name and nature of God are the same as the name of Jerusalem, which is the eternal capital of Israel belonging to God.
- Consider Deuteronomy 16:1-2 where Moses reiterates the Feast of Passover observance, and how that it’s to be in the month of Abib.
Deuteronomy 16:1-2 (1) "Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover to the LORD your God, for in the month of Abib the LORD
your God brought you out of Egypt by night. (2) Therefore you shall sacrifice the Passover to the LORD your God, from the flock and the
herd, in the place where the LORD chooses to put His name.
- Instead of sacrificing the Passover lamb in their home before the Exodus out of Egypt, they would do it in the Tabernacle, then the Temple.
- They do this where the Lord chooses to put His name. This is interesting for a number of reasons not the least of which is it may be literal.
- The significance of this is, not only does the Lord choose to put His name on a place, He also chooses to put His name on a people too.
Numbers 6:22-27 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: (23) "Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, 'This is the way you shall bless the
children of Israel. Say to them: (24) "The LORD bless you and keep you; (25) The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious
to you; (26) The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace." '(27) "So they shall put My name on the children of Israel,
and I will bless them."
- This is what's been called the Aaronic blessing. Every time the Israelites assembled at the Tabernacle Aaron pronounced this blessing.
- What's so fascinating about this blessing is that God puts His name on the children of Israel and bless them by virtue of its pronouncement.
- This is how it is today in the Middle-Eastern culture. God’s name is considered the highest blessing that you can pronounce on someone.
- In addition to God putting His name on the children of Israel, He’s also chosen to put His name on Jerusalem, the eternal capital of Israel.
2 Chronicles 6:6a But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there;
2 Chronicles 12:13b ...he (Rehoboam) reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to
put his name there.
2 Chronicles 33:7b … in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:
2 Kings 21:4b ... In Jerusalem will I put my name.
- This begs the question of what is God’s name. In other words, while we know that “God” is His title, we may not know what is His name.
One commentator wrote; “It is generally accepted that Job is the oldest book in the Bible. It is commonly accepted that Job lived during the
patriarchal age, and possibly even predated Abraham. For Job a common name for God was ‘El Shaddai.’”
Adam Clarke in his commentary wrote: "El Shaddai, I am God all-sufficient; from shadah, to shed, to pour out. I am that God who pours out
blessings, who gives them richly, abundantly, continually.”
Pastor J. Mark Martin of a Calvary Chapel in Phoenix Arizona had this to say; “The Hebrew letter “Shin” is used by the Jews as the
abbreviation for the name “El Shaddai”. The “Old City of Jerusalem” resembles the shape of the “Shin” making it possible that God Almighty
literally put His name in Jerusalem.
- I would suggest to you that this Shin, as the abbreviation for the name of God, which is El Shaddai, is in fact, on Jerusalem as God said.
- Consider these aerial images of the Old City of Jerusalem as outlined by the city walls, as we superimpose the name of God on top of it.
- In closing, I’ll simply say, this alone should shatter any myth that Jerusalem belongs to anyone other than Israel, whom God has given it to.
- Furthermore, if Bible prophecy concerning Jerusalem in the last days is beginning to come to pass, then what are you going to do about it?
- If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior I implore you to call upon Him this day, confessing with your mouth, believing in your heart.