Complexities

Today’s world is nothing if not complex.

In the extreme!

You know this as well as I do, every day. Added to the complexity is a sometimes-disorienting system in which our media are lying 24/7. This makes it enormously difficult to understand what is truly going on.

I have a strong, strong feeling about this as we watch the Ukraine situation unfold. Do we really know or understand what’s going on?

I doubt it.

An added complexity is the geopolitics involved, in close coordination with military objectives. One such issue is Russia’s relationships in the Middle East. A Jerusalem Post report this week is fascinating, as it outlines how the Russians will continue to coordinate with Israel on security issues in Syria!

Wow.

Syria’s civil war erupted more than 10 years ago (under the watch of the treacherous Barack Obama; I believe his goals were to foment unrest in the Middle East between Muslim factions). Over time, Putin saw an opportunity to move in and secure a footing in the region. Russia has long wanted a warm-weather port in the Middle East. Syria has given them that, as Bashar Assad has lengthened his own life by embracing his Russian benefactors.

As an aside, I am aware that people in our community are asking questions about the chances that we are witnessing the opening moments of the Gog-Magog War. Although my view might not be popular, I must tell you that I think we should be ultra-cautious in saying that that is the case. I even saw one prophecy teacher this week that speculates Gog is not Russia. Frankly, I tire of this kind of stuff. Why? It detracts from the mission of evangelizing people; Bible prophecy is the perfect vehicle to do that, but if we constantly speculate about how today’s headline fits prophetic things, it’s counterproductive. End of rant.

What makes Russia’s invasion of Ukraine hotter is the fact that Israel comes into play. It seems incongruous that the Israelis would work in close coordination in Syria with the brutal Putin, but there it is. Israel’s security is in play.

According to the Post:

“Russia sees its military coordination with Israel over Syria continuing, the Russian embassy said on Saturday, after Moscow signaled displeasure with Israeli statements about the Ukraine crisis.

“Following the 2015 Russian intervention in the Syrian civil war, Israel set up a ‘deconfliction mechanism’ with the big power to prevent them from clashing inadvertently during Israeli strikes against Iranian deployments and arms transfers in the neighboring Arab state.”

You know of course that during this time, Israel has engaged in covert actions to knock-out Syrian installations. Russia does nothing to stop that.

Obviously, the Russians are not really concerned with Israel’s security, but for practical, pragmatic reasons, they continue this system of coordination.

For its part, Israel condemned Russian aggression in Ukraine:

“Israel, whose main ally is the United States, condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Thursday as ‘a serious violation of international order’ and has since remained largely muted on Moscow’s actions.”

I well remember David Allen Lewis’s personal investigations into the 1982 Lebanon War, in which Israeli advances into Lebanon—to root-out the murderous PLO. David learned that Israeli forces had found caches of Russian weapons at various locations in the tortured country of Lebanon. It seems the Soviets at the time had plans for expanding their influence in the Middle East. At the time, countries like Egypt were client states of the Kremlin. This impacted Israel’s actions to such a degree that we probably will never know how close all-out war came to being implemented.

Let’s pray that tensions cool in Europe, which will lead to greater Israeli security. One very cool outcome of this latest aggression by Russia is that Israel has moved Ukrainian Jews out of harm’s way and to Israel.

Proof positive that God is still watching over His people. No matter the danger in our world today.

Jim1fletcher@yahoo.com

 

The Bible Confirms It

One of the things I’ve observed about the Left over the years is that they never give in, and they never, ever accept your premise. Especially when it’s back by facts.

It’s why I realized 20 years ago that giving people just facts and data about Israel didn’t cut it. They were just statistics at precisely the same time the evil PLO was kicking into high gear its “narrative” propaganda. For example, Israel would release numbers of those killed by terrorists.

Following that, the Palestinians would utilize their corporate media contacts around the world and pump-out stories of individuals that had “suffered” under “Occupation.” These would typically take place in some ramshackle house, with plenty of photographs of grieving elderly family members. Much of this was staged, not to mention the fact that many Palestinians were living in fine homes (I’ve seen this myself).

 

I have long advocated for an approach in advocacy that captures the heart. If there is no emotional connection, few people will awaken to Israel’s plight. At that point, one hopes that we no longer have to appeal to “how does this affect me?” (given our cultural obsession with self, particularly within the Church) and people will demand justice for the Jews simply because it’s the right and moral thing to do.

There is one area that does excite people and bring alive a connection between Israel and her ancient homeland.

Archaeology.

I noticed a powerful quote this week on Facebook by Phillip Pasmanick:

“Sad, how to the millions of anti-Israel activists, no amount of proof, historical or archeological, even spread over centuries, is enough to convince the anti-Semites of the ancient Jewish presence in Israel. Think about that.”

I agree, but am a bit more optimistic about the chances of getting somewhere with people that to this point were hostile to Israel, or indifferent (perhaps the worse of the two views).

I do think archaeology matters in people’s perceptions.

Under the terror reign of Yasser Arafat, the little Egyptian-born troll would claim that he was a Canaanite! To the PLO/PA, if they could “be there before the Israelites,” it would bolster their case. Only a stupid and uneducated populace believed that whopper. But it did prove that digging into the past, literally, can make a difference.

Every day, archaeological teams in Israel uncover something fascinating, often in Jerusalem.

In 2020, teams found in Jerusalem a group of “capitals,” the caps on pillars, in the “Proto-Aeolian” architectural style, from the First Temple period. These were made between the reigns of Kings Hezekiah and Josiah.

In 2017, an ancient Hebrew town was uncovered near Beit El; it dated to the time of the Persian occupation of Judea.

In 2009, along a beach, the so-called Magdala Stone was found, a carved stone block. On it was a representation of the menorah in the Temple. Such finds are specifically Jewish, and dated to a particular biblical period, something no Palestinian can claim from any nation known as “Palestine.” Or the Canaanites. Or…

One of the most impressive sites tying the Jews to the land is located just outside the Old City walls in Jerusalem. In 2017 I had the pleasure of seeing this for myself, during a stroll around the city with my friend Brian Schrauger.

Dating from 168 B.C., the area known as Acre was thought to be either lost for good, or perhaps mythological (from the critics).

Then it was found under a parking lot. The densely packed fortress, set up outside the city by the evil Antiochus Epiphanes, ruler of the Seleucid Empire that oppressed the Jews in the time of the Maccabees.

It is a visual reminder that God is not mocked, as Antiochus set himself up as something of a god, but in the end he died a horrible dead and his famed fortress ended up under a parking lot.

Don’t mess with the Creator of the Universe.

Point being, such sites—places that people can see for themselves—can have a powerful impact on those that believe Jewish history in Israel is myth. Or perhaps they have come under the influence of evil people that want to erase the Jewish links to their ancient homeland in the present day.

Seeing is sometimes believing.

Jim1fletcher@yahoo.com