Such a Campaign and Election!

It was one of, if not the most poignant, passionate, and polarized United States presidential campaigns ever. Followed by one of the most astonishing elections in our country’s history. That’s what bewildered journalists, editors, political pundits, and millions of dazed citizens across this nation are saying. Many are still reeling from the results, especially the pollsters!

It was a stunning turn of events; an upset to rival the embarrassing reversal of newspaper headlines when the media and political experts prematurely claimed that Thomas Dewey had defeated Harry Truman in 1948.

Did you, along with millions of Americans, vote against one of the candidates instead of voting for the other candidate? Or did you “vote your conscience.” Or was your conscience too numb to vote at all? Whether you voted for Clinton or Trump or were too upset with both candidates to even vote at all, quite likely you were as shocked as I was with the election results.

Other than disbelief, what has been your reaction? Have you given up on American politics? Or have you celebrated what appears to be a victory over what many believe to be establishment “politics as usual?” Have you protested in the streets and sworn that Donald Trump is not your President, now or ever? Conversely, if Hilary Clinton had won the election, would you also challenge the results … claiming that the election was rigged?

Scripture is abundantly clear that the true and living God of the Bible is sovereign over all things, including governments, their leaders, and the rise and fall of nations. Yet, the Bible is truthfully transparent that God has given mankind free will to choose right from wrong, eternal life over death, and good leaders instead of bad ones. Eventually and inevitably, God’s majestic plan for the human race will be accomplished. Our Great God and Savior will triumph over evil … including the greed, injustice, corruption, and indifference that tarnishes even the best of human governments and taints the integrity of even the noblest of leaders.

In the meantime, God allows men and woman the world over to try to prove to themselves that they can govern and achieve peace between peoples and nations without first seeking peace with God through redemption purchased by Messiah Jesus. Or at least acknowledging the Lord in all the “affairs of state.”

One day (soon):

“The whole earth will acknowledge the Lord and return to him. All the families of the nations will bow down before him. For royal power belongs to the Lord. He rules all the nations … Our children will also serve him. Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord” (Psalm 22:27-30).

These two verses are near the end of Psalm 22, which is the most recognized Messianic Chapter of the Old Testament, along with Isaiah 53. In those passages, several prophecies of the coming Messiah were subsequently fulfilled by Jesus, mostly those that took place while he suffered and died on the cross for the sins of the whole world.

Whether a nation is governed by a monarch, a constitutional parliament, an oligarchy, a pure democracy, or a republic, down through the ages revolt against elected or appointed (including self-appointed) officials often has proved disastrous. I’m not talking about revolutions that led to the formation of a new nation, not the least of which was our own American Revolution against Great Britain. Or even the greater majority of people who attempted to overthrow repressive regimes controlled by a ruthless dictator. However, even then, that nation was seldom better off than before. Either a new dictator would emerge or a coalition type government would unravel.

Rather, I’m referring to situations like what happened in Israel some 3,000 years ago when ten of the formerly united twelve tribes in Israel rebelled against King Rehoboam, the rightful heir to King Solomon. (See I Kings Chapter 12). Though the leaders of those tribes believed their cause was right, defiance of the newly appointed king was because they had decided, he was not their king.

Civil war followed that continued periodically (and contributed to) until the ten northern kingdoms (Israel) were conquered and deported by Assyria a little over 200 years later. Then the two southern tribes (Judah) were destroyed and exiled by the Babylonia Empire some 150 years afterward. Israel would never be the same again until her miraculous rebirth as the State of Israel in 1948; made possible because that was and is God’s supreme and sovereign plan for the Jews and for the land promised to them, Israel.

One of the most tragic examples of a nation literally splitting in two with unparalleled devastation and loss of life was our own American Civil War. Though the root cause was the issue of slavery, eleven southern states succeeded from the Union, with the mindset that Abraham Lincoln was not their President. In fact, they formed a Confederate Union and elected their own president … Jefferson Davis. Currently, there are residents of California who want to succeed from the United States of America and make that state a separate nation. Some call it the Calexit movement. Likewise, some people in Oregon have called for that state to leave the Union and form the “People’s Democratic Republic of Oregon.”

God often allows us to do and have what we want, even if it’s not close to being what is best for us, and ends in failure. In fact, depending on our response, failure often brings us back to God … with whom we should have stayed in the first place.

Dow Hits Record High

Were you among those who invested more or for the very first time in the stock market in the past few days? Causing headlines posted this past Tuesday such as, “Dow Hits Record High … Stocks Soar.” If you voted Republican, are you sure that your president-elect and the republican led Senate and House can and will implement domestic and foreign policies that will “make America great again.” If you voted Democrat, are you at least hoping these polices will do something good for this country whether you like Trump and his cabinet appointees or not?

If you’re one of the tens of millions of Christians (truly born again or just Christian in name only) what has been your response? Anger? Euphoria? Angst? Hope? Dismay? Delight? Or perhaps indifference and resignation?

Have you infrequently or never prayed for your city, county, state, and federal officials … not even for the President of the United States? If not, is it because you don’t think your prayers will make that much difference, like many think their one vote doesn’t matter much or at all?

Perhaps you’ve forgotten or don’t really believe what God has said through his Word, the Bible:

“…The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield it crops” (James 5:16-18).

The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us:

“I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time” (I Timothy 2:1-6).

One of the most powerful petitions any Christian can present to God our Father and to Messiah Jesus our Savior is that our President and other leaders will treat Israel with respect and dignity. To honor her as God’s special possession and Jews the world over as God’s chosen people through whom God’s Messiah came to the world 2000 years ago. Ultimately, our success and security as a nation is in direct proportion to our support of Israel and favorable treatment of Jews (Genesis 12:1-3).

Our President-Elect and Israel

In Eye of Prophecy articles, I write sparingly about politics. When I do the articles are in the broader context of Biblical prophecy and principles on such things as the rise and fall of governments, rulers, and nations that are directly related to their behavior toward Israel and recognition that God is the source and sustainer of peoples and nations.

“Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good” (Psalm 127:1).

On the other hand, this is the first United States Presidential election since the Eye of Prophecy website began nearly 3 ½ years ago, So, I’m compelled to offer commentary on this election in general and the more unlikely of the two candidates who won, in particular.

We are living in the last days of the end times. Like never before, how individuals and nations regard the Jews and Israel will determine their fate before and after the Rapture, especially when Messiah Jesus returns to this earth. Although God will judge the nations during the Great Tribulation and pour out his wrath on the ungodly who have chosen to follow and serve the Anti-Christ and also those who will oppose this man of lawlessness but still refuse to acknowledge the true and living God and his Messiah, Jesus, I fear that the Lord will not reserve all of his fury just for the Tribulation.

If the United States of America continues on the course charted by our current administration that often includes denunciation of Israel for such things as building houses and apartments on land that belongs to them in the first place; or for promoting a Palestinian State without secure defensible borders for Israel, then this country will literally have “hell to pay.”

There’s not much I could say that hasn’t already been said or seen regarding the enigma that is Donald Trump. This past election may just be the most definitive example in all of America’s political history of a love/hate relationship with a President, who isn’t even officially President yet. There are still many Democrats who are passionately trying to persuade several Electoral College officials to change their electoral vote on December 19^th from Trump to Clinton. With their main rationale that Clinton leads Trump with the popular (majority) vote, nationwide.

(Republican-Red; Democrat-Blue; Results of Electoral Votes, with Hilary Clinton garnering 48.03% and Donald Trump 47.01% of popular vote)

Much has already been written about his pre-office domestic plans and foreign policies, and much more will be published after Donald Trump is sworn in as President on January 20^th, 2017. Today’s article will be confined to potential (hopeful) keeping of promises already made (or at least proposed) by President-elect Trump concerning Israel.

We, who have been redeemed by our great God and Savior, Messiah Jesus, need to plead with the Lord that our President and his staff will support Israel in word and deed.

Some of what we know about Donald Trump’s regard for Israel is as follows:

Financial Support for Israel

Donald Trump has provided generous monetary aid to Israel on more than one occasion; such as giving millions of dollars to help resettle Jews who had been evicted from the Gaza Strip in 2005. Though I love God’s special possession Israel and God’s chosen people the Jews—with great admiration and respect for current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—like leaders of many nations, a few former Israeli Prime Ministers have made costly mistakes. In this case, now deceased Prime Minister Ariel Sharon forcibly removed all Jews from the Gaza Strip with the apparently good intention (at the time) of Israel better able to protect those Israelis if they were no longer living in the Gaza Strip. Instead, the terrorist organization Hamas took over the Gaza Strip, and launched mortar and missile attacks into Israel.

Likewise, Donald Trump’s father had donated millions of dollars to worthy Jewish causes in the United States and Israel.

United States Embassy in Israel

In the Eye of Prophecy article, Jerusalem … A Capital Without a Country? (Posted 6-13-15), I wrote extensively on the incredible irony that Jerusalem is not accepted by virtually every nation on earth as the undivided, exclusive capital of Israel. This despite Biblical and historical evidence and validation that this holy city is the very heart and soul of Israel and the Jewish people. In italics, here are the first two paragraphs of that article which follow the title and heading, Jerusalem … A Capital without a Country:

Or is it: Israel … A Country without a Capital? It’s a shame that either of these two concepts should even be in the form of a question. But they are, and they must be faced head-on and answered. Any response depends entirely on whether a sovereign nation possesses the inherent right to choose its own capital; which is a reasonable presumption, or it should be. So we’ll begin with both barrels blazing and boldly assert: Of course, a sovereign state has that right! For Israeli Jews, the answer is as obvious as it would be to an American citizen who would never question whether Washington D.C. is the Capital of the United States of America … Jerusalem is the (eternal) capital of Israel.

Yet, the United States and virtually every nation on earth does NOT recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital city. Instead, they have placed embassies in Tel Aviv; thereby, telling Israel that Tel Aviv is its seat of government, not Jerusalem. So drop the capital and the issue actually becomes: Jerusalem, a City without a Country? That is precisely how the US President and his staff, as well as most governments, classify Jerusalem—which reduces it to the same status as the Vatican … a city-state inside a country but without a country.

On more than one occasion, President-elect Donald Trump has said that he would do whatever necessary to move the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Which is what three Presidents have not done since the United States Senate voted in 1995 to move the embassy to Jerusalem. With each of these Presidents, to some extent or another, reluctant to implement the Senate ruling over fear of irritating Muslim nations in general and the Palestinians in particular.

(U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv / I’ve Been There!)

Just this week, Donald Trump announced that South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley had accepted his appointment of her as US Ambassador to the United Nations. Governor Haley was the first governor in the US to pass legislation against the insidious BDS movement designed to cripple Israel’s economy, with the more sinister agenda to delegitimize and demonize Israel.

One of the many posts and positions that Donald Trump is considering for his Presidential staff is Mike Huckabee, former Arkansas governor (twice a Republican candidate for President), as the US Ambassador to Israel. As many know, Huckabee is a staunch supporter of Israel. Mostly because he is a born-again Christian who loves Israel, and who recognizes that God has not forgotten either of the two sweeping plans proclaimed throughout the Bible. One of which is the restoration of Israel as a nation that will be the center of the Kingdom of God in Jerusalem (government of Messiah … see Ezekiel 37 and many other passages) and final redemption of the Jews.

God’s other plan of the ages is that of completing the New Covenant salvation for Jew and Gentile alike (one in Messiah) through the astounding resurrection of the dead in Christ and transfiguration of those alive (at the Rapture) to our eternal heavenly bodies. Included with that marvelous promise is to rule and reign with Messiah Jesus during his magnificent Millennial kingdom on earth.

The Kingdom of God on earth will be headquartered in Jerusalem. God will see to it. But why not seek God’s pre-millennial blessings now by recognizing and honoring Jerusalem as the Holy Capital of the Holy Land of Israel. Enough with the politically correct excuses to leave the embassy in Tel Aviv. Pray that soon-to-be President Trump will get that embassy of ours moved to Jerusalem where it belongs!

“On the holy mountain stands the city founded by the Lord. He loves the city of Jerusalem more than any other city in Israel. O city of God, what glorious things are said of you!” (Psalm 87:1-3).

The following prophetic promise began its fulfillment when Israel was reborn as a sovereign state in 1948:

“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: ‘You can be sure that I will rescue my people from the east and from the west. I will bring them home again to live safely in Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be faithful and just toward them as their God’” (Zachariah 8:7-8).

Let’s read what will take place after the Lord delivers the Jews and Israel from imminent annihilation by the armies of the world led by Antichrist Nero at the end of the Tribulation. In fact, the first part of this passage is already underway.

“…People from nations and cities around the world will travel to Jerusalem. The people of one city will say to the people of another, ‘Come with us to Jerusalem to ask the Lord to bless us. Let’s worship the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. I’m determined to go.’ Many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord of Heaven’s Armies and to ask for his blessing … In those days ten men from different nations and languages of the world will clutch at the sleeve of one Jew. And they will say, ‘Please let us walk with you, for we have heard that God is with you’” (Zechariah 8:20-23).

Iran Nuclear Deal

Nearly everyone that has kept current with the election campaign and post-election news, understands Trump stated intentions to revoke what is arguably the worst deal that the United States has ever made with another country, let alone a nation whose avowed goal is the destruction of the United States and Israel. Certainly, President-elect Trump’s main concern is an Iranian nuclear threat to America. If, however, he can persuade the other P5 + 1 nations who co-signed this pact with Iran to uncompromisingly enforce it; or if he will simply circumvent the deal by reinstating US sanctions against Iran, this would be of tremendous long-term benefit to Israel’s security.

Palestinian Two-State Solution

Preliminary evidence shows that Donald Trump does support the general idea of a Palestinian State in Israel (who doesn’t among world leaders, despite the fact that this is absolutely contrary to God’s purpose and plan for Israel, i.e. that the Promised Land is not to be divided). However, at least Trump prefers that Israel and the Palestinians decide this and other issues through direct negotiations. Not through a United States led or approved UN Security Council resolution that would unilaterally (without participation by or the voice of Israel heard) partition Israel into two states … especially with pre-1967 borders that would render Israel virtually indefensible from its enemies.

(Map of Israel: According to the Palestinians, Israel is Still Palestine. They want all of Israel for a State, not just the West Bank and Gaza)

Whether a Palestinian State is created or not and whether President-elect Trump follows through with his positive promises toward Israel remains to be seen. But it’s evident at this time that he does place Israel’s interest at a high level of importance. This includes a warm relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a reciprocal approval from many Israelis of America’s choice for President. They see Donald Trump’s presidency as one that will reignite the flickering flame that has become a mere pilot light barely illuminating the dark tension between President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu that has adversely affected relations between America and Israel over the past several years.

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat said that Donald Trump is, “a devoted supporter of Israel,” and eagerly anticipates that Trump will follow through on his campaign promise to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem. He extended a warm greeting to Trump, saying, “I am full of hope for your support for our activities for building in and developing Jerusalem for all her residents, and I invite you to visit the capital of Israel.”

The United States, Israel, and Russia

Many Israelis also have welcomed the thawing of once frozen foreign relations between Israel and Russia. This includes an unprecedented number of visits between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin in the last eighteen months or so. However, this unexpected, even stunning (to some), easing of tensions between Russia and Israel is substantially one of political and economic expediency, if not tolerance, for both countries.

Several factors have led to this most unusual cooperation, but time/space in this article permits identification of only one.

Which is: Russia’s obvious interest in establishing a foothold in the Middle East primarily through and in Syria. With its ultimate agenda that of gaining control of Israeli natural gas fields off the coast of Israel, and eventually Israel itself. Moreover, Benjamin Netanyahu knows this or at least suspects that Putin’s motive is not pure, nor Russia’s intentions so altruistic. Thus, his tactical response is to demonstrate to Putin that Israel will not be bullied by any nation that has been or still is a threat to her survival. And if your enemy (Russia) is led by someone (Putin) who recognizes and respects a people and nation (Israel) that has both the determination and the military and economic resources to defend itself even against powerful nations, then why not seek some degree of dialogue and some extent of cooperation that might benefit both sides. Yet this tenuous political, economic, and cultural “truce” between Russia and Israel is not necessarily based on anything approaching a high level of mutual admiration between Putin and Netanyahu. As alluded, it’s predicated primarily on pragmatism.

Not so, with Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Just how serious and genuine it is now or will be after Donald Trump takes office in January, would be anybody’s guess. However, Trump and Putin have begun what appears to be a mutual admiration society between the two of them, even before Trump won the election. Moreover, a recent post-election survey of Russians yielded some remarkable facts: (1) Only four percent of Russians would have voted for Hilary Clinton; (2) Over one-third of Russians believe Donald Trump will be America’s best president ever.

Ordinarily, this would be a paradox if not an obstacle to any restoration of head of state interaction between the United States and Israel; were it not for the equally strange behavior of Vladimir Putin in his courting of Israel.

(Vladimir Putin and Benjamin Netanyahu)

The Two Tribulation Attacks Against Israel

Several Eye of Prophecy articles have been written about the Gog/Magog invasion of Israel, which I firmly believe will occur within the first year or so of the seven-year Tribulation. In this week’s post, we’ll examine just one feature of that massive coalition against Israel: how the United States and our President will react … what they will do or can do, and not do.

In proportion to our population, the United States undoubtedly has as many or more Christian believers than any other nation on earth. Thus, America will be affected by the Rapture (loss of people) more than any other country. Our armed forces will still be formidable. But only because of our vast technological military that requires less personnel (soldiers and civilians), relying significantly on heavy armaments—such as missiles, ships, tanks, drones, bombers, fighter jets—rather than troops on the ground. Yet the fact remains: America’s military capacity and infrastructure will be weakened by sheer loss of people when the Rapture takes place.

Equally evident is that the three main countries making up the Gog/Magog confederacy (Russia, Iran, and Turkey) will lose very few people at the Rapture. By default, Russia will catch up overnight to the United States in military might, and probably exceed it. Even a President like Donald Trump won’t be able to stand up to this massive alliance, nor want to. His response will fall under the proverbial perception that, “discretion is the better part of valor.”

For one thing, the revived Roman Emperor, Nero (Antichrist) will be in the process of persuading, then forcing three nations to join the seven who have already yielded their governments and military to him (Daniel 7). Please refer to the Eye of Prophecy article, One Ring to Rule Them All article (posted 11-21-15), for the most likely line up of the ten nation coalition controlled by Antichrist Nero. The seven kingdoms that will immediately join Nero are projected to be: Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Belgium, and a Persian Gulf State Arabic coalition.

The three nations that will reluctantly join forces with Nero’s coalition will quite likely be: United States, Canada, and Australia. Here is an excerpt from One Ring to Rule Them All, explaining why these three countries will be part of the Antichrist’s ten-kingdom empire (in italics):

First and foremost, each of these countries is fiercely democratic and independent. They will not readily join forces with what they undoubtedly will perceive as totalitarian, nor a tyrant no matter how enthusiastically he will be welcomed by a world in chaos and confusion. However, the United States, and to a lesser degree Canada and Australia, will experience a substantial loss of population when millions are taken in the glorious Rapture.

Which is the primary reason that the United States will not be able to economically or militarily do anything about the Russian-led (Gog/Magog) invasion of Israel soon after the Rapture. Nor will America, Canada, or Australia pose any obstacle to the enormous bloc of eastern nations. And certainly not to Nero’s agenda of establishing a powerful dictatorial ten-kingdom federation to include these three countries that, though considerably weakened, will still exert an impressive influence on this global scene of temporary anarchy. The natural resources and technology of these three countries would be enticement enough for Nero.

As independently self-sufficient as these three nations are and still will be (to a lesser extent), they also will not want to lose their standard of living and Western way of life … all of which will have been shaken to the very core by global upheaval caused by the sudden disappearance of hundreds of millions the world over.

Consequently, America, Canada, and Australia will inevitably yield their political, economic, and military allegiance to Nero and the other seven nations. They will succumb to what will probably be extensive economic sanctions and daunting military threats against them. Their capitulation to Nero’s invitational-style demand (please join us … or else) to enter his coalition will be reluctant at first; but then they will participate enthusiastically when they see the astounding accomplishments of Nero’s early program to pacify Europe during the first year or so of the Tribulation.

Gog/Magog Invasion of Israel & the Response of Nations, Including America

Over 2,500 years ago, God through the prophet Ezekiel prophesied against Gog/Magog:

“A long time from now, you will be called into action. In the distant future you will swoop down on the land of Israel, which will be enjoying peace after recovering from war and after its people have returned from many lands to the mountains of Israel. You and all your allies—a vast and awesome army—will roll down on them like a storm and cover the land like a cloud” (Ezekiel 38:8-9).

Then we see the reaction of some nations (to certainly include the United States and the other countries that will comprise the ten-nation empire of Antichrist Nero), which in Ezekiel Chapter 39 are identified as the “allies who live safely on the coasts.” Leaders from virtually all nations will sit back and watch and only some will voice criticism or condemnation of the Russian, Iranian, Turkish (and other smaller nations) onslaught against Israel. They will say:

“…Do you really think the armies you have gathered can rob them of silver and gold? Do you think you can drive away their livestock and seize their goods and carry off plunder?” (Ezekiel 38:13).

This will be armchair boasting and bravado at its hypocritical best (worst).

Once again the Lord says about Gog and many nations who will do nothing to help Israel:

“…At that time in the distant future, I will bring you against my land as everyone watches, and my holiness will be displayed by what happens to you, Gog. Then all the nations will know that I am the Lord” (Verse 16, italics for emphasis).

God knows that the United States and all other nations will stand down indifferently, ineptly, or even expectantly to what the world will consider an imminent end to the State of Israel. Thus, God will supernaturally intervene and divinely destroy this awesome, but arrogant, Gog/Magog confederacy. Read Ezekiel 39 for the spectacular severity and finality of Gog/Magog’s destruction and demise. As for Israel: she too will only watch as God fights for her. This will be the first of two massive campaigns against Israel during the Tribulation. The other will be led by Antichrist and his ten-kingdom empire in the last 3 ½ years of the Tribulation.

No matter what we think of Donald Trump, some of his traits that have emerged during the election campaign would indicate that he is: independent, determined, assertive, and tough. I’m sure you can come up with other adjectives (positive or negative) to describe this most intriguing and perplexing man who, against all odds, has been voted in as the 45^th President of the United States of America.

(U.S. President-elect Donald Trump)

Hopefully, he will follow through on his preliminary support of Israel in general, and his commitments to Israel in particular. Whether he is the United States President after the Rapture and at the outset of the Gog/Magog assault against Israel remains to be seen. Right now, however, Donald Trump fits hand in glove with Scripture’s description of what the “coastal” nations, of which America is one, will do (not do) when Russia and her allies march against Israel. At the very most these nations will give only lip service to whatever previous promises they had made to support and even defend Israel in time of peril.

Then there’s the added factor to the equation—which is Donald Trump’s affinity toward Vladimir Putin who, if still President of Russia when the armies of Magog attack Israel, would be none other than Gog of Magog.

How will President Trump balance Russia and Israel?

Scripture is clear on that matter. Those opposed to the Gog march on Israel will do so by rhetoric only, not by actions. It is God who will take action, with devastating results for Russia, Iran, Turkey, and their smaller allies … a massive defeat that will be unrivaled in the annals of warfare. God, himself will supernaturally defend Israel.

Given the sure word of Biblical prophecy coming to pass (in this case the Gog/Magog invasion of Israel), what then can Christians do?

Answer: Stand up for Israel and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. That the Lord will protect and prosper Israel NOW, not just in the future. And with widespread prayer and support for Israel, the Lord will also bless and protect this country; and maybe (his will be done) “make America great again” … at least for a while longer.

Things to Ponder

While we watch and wait for God’s prophetic promises to be completely fulfilled, we can at this Thanksgiving time of the year be thankful for what he have … partial peace in much of the world.

And we can be even more grateful for what we don’t yet have but will, beyond all doubt, soon realize: true global peace for every person in every nation, through one man—The Prince of Peace—predicted by the prophet Isaiah long ago.

“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!” (Isaiah 9:6-7).