By Perry Noble , Christian Post Guest Columnist

I am a recovering Pharisee. I cannot read Matthew 23 without thinking about who I used to be shortly after meeting Jesus. I became obsessed with religious rules and legalism and forgot all about the grace that God had poured out on me through Jesus. As I look back on that time in my life there are eight things that really defined me…

#1 – I was way more obsessed with the sins and shortcomings of others and made it my obsession to point out their faults so that I did not have to deal with my own. (Matthew 23:27-28)

#2 – I made it my goal to catch people doing something wrong and condemn them rather than seeing them with the same eyes that Jesus saw me with, thus causing me to be broken for them and reach out to them with compassion and a genuine concern.

#3 – I would not associate with anyone or any group that did not acknowledge that I was completely correct in my view and interpretation of the Scriptures…and, if they didn’t see just like me I would attack and malign them as often as possible. (Kind of goes against what Jesus said in John 13:34-35) Which leads to…

#4 – I only hung out/associated with people who thought just like me!

#5 – I was known more for what I attacked rather than what I built up!

#6 – I boasted in the knowledge that I possessed and looked down on those whom I perceived did not know as much as me.

#7 – I could not acknowledge anything that the Lord might have been doing that did not fit into my system of the way I believed God should do things (read Matthew 28:11-15, these guys, after hearing about the resurrection by eyewitnesses tried to suppress the story rather than being amazed by it!)

(I can literally remember a group of guys I was hanging out with in the mid 90′s who were always bashing Bill Hybels, so I joined in and began to talk about this church up in Chicago that was “compromising the Gospel.” Then I went to a conference and heard him live, then I read some books by him and then I made a discovery that Bill Hybels had more people in his restrooms between services every Sunday than all of us had in our churches combined…and then I discovered that God worked outside of the framework of my mind!!! That was one of the most sobering realities I’ve ever had to deal with…and I am so thankful for Bill Hybels and what the Lord has used him and Willow Creek to accomplish! If you are a church planter you should know that Bill Hybels and Rick Warren took some bullets years ago that we do not have to take today because they were willing to endure the pain!)

#8 – I did not mind throwing out false accusations against those whom I felt were not getting it right! (John 8:48-51)

Paul wrote in Romans 1: “They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever!” This couldn’t be a more apt description of our epidemic of pornography.

Don’t be fooled. This is not just a behavior issue—it’s a worship issue. We’ve bought into the lies regarding porn, we’ve bowed down at the altars of our computer, and we’ve worshiped created things, thinking they will bring us what we need. But really, it’s stealing, killing, and destroying lives (John 10:10). I want to look at the lies we often believe about porn and deconstruct them with truth so that we can worship Jesus and not ourselves or any other false god.

1. “Porn is just to carry me over during my singleness until I get to marriage.”

When we obey God with our sex life, we will experience peace and are best able to reap the fruits of a healthy marriage, current or future. Sex is not a right given to every person, but rather, it is a gift from God to every person who marries. For those who have not married, the challenge is to trust God and wait on him for his provision for life, marriage, and sex.

2. “I’m a virgin, I’ve waited for sex, so I deserve porn.”

Porn damages the viewer. Proverbs 6:27 says: “Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned?” The rhetorical answer is “No.” Lusting after people with our eyes and thoughts is equivalent to committing the sin with them (Matthew 5:28). Porn trains us to practice lust and live in a fantasy world of evil thoughts. Because of this we have an insatiable desire for lust that drives us to seek gratification. The memories resulting from our porn activities can last a lifetime and damage our ability to enjoy sex in our marriage.

3. “My sexual urges are too strong, and I need to release pressure.”

We can become enslaved to sin when we obey sin’s desires (Romans 6:16). When enslaved, it’s easy to blame our bondage on God. When we do this, it seems to free us from the responsibility for our sin. But, God is not to blame—we are! Steps to gaining freedom begin with taking responsibility for our sin by confessing it to God.

4. “It’s part of our society. Everyone does it.”

God gave us specific guidance on what kind of sex is acceptable. God gave sex in marriage between one man and one woman (Mark 10:6-9; Genesis 2:24). Any sexual activity outside of this context is sin, which has consequences that in some cases have lifelong effects.

5. “I’ve already gone down the road so might as well keep going.”

Jesus died on the cross so we can get free of whatever sin struggle we are involved in. The Holy Spirit, who raised Christ from the dead, gives life to our mortal body so we can live in freedom (Romans 8:11–13). Life through Jesus Christ brings spiritual renewal and a new nature that enables us to walk in purity, just as Jesus did (2 Corinthians 5:17).

6. “Porn has helped our sex life within marriage.”

Pornography destroys a marriage’s sex life through lust. Though it may be pleasurable for a short time, it harms your marriage by placing love-inspired affection with lustful gratification. It’s just a matter of time before things become destroyed. Sinful lust naturally craves more and more and is never satisfied, so you’ll find yourself looking for more exciting outlets when your spouse is unable to keep up.

7. “Getting married will help stop my porn addiction.”

False. It may make it worse. Porn addicts train themselves to respond to pictures and masturbation which can do great damage for your married sex life. Married sex is built on selfless love.

All of us have bought into the lies of the enemy and moved from temptation to sin driving down the on-ramp of brokenness and destruction. However, the hope and promise we have is Jesus! Even though we were or maybe still are headed for destruction, Jesus, through his death and resurrection has conquered the enemy, sin and death giving us life in Him (John 10:10). No matter the lies that you have believed and are believing, the unending grace of Jesus frees and liberates us from bondage to these lies. Fight them with God’s Word.

Friend, today, walk in the grace, freedom, and power of Jesus.

Question: “Women pastors / preachers? What does the Bible say about women in ministry?”

Answer: There is perhaps no more hotly debated issue in the church today than the issue of women serving as pastors/preachers. As a result, it is very important to not see this issue as men versus women. There are women who believe women should not serve as pastors and that the Bible places restrictions on the ministry of women, and there are men who believe women can serve as preachers and that there are no restrictions on women in ministry. This is not an issue of chauvinism or discrimination. It is an issue of biblical interpretation.

The Word of God proclaims, “A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent” (1 Timothy 2:11-12). In the church, God assigns different roles to men and women. This is a result of the way mankind was created and the way in which sin entered the world (1 Timothy 2:13-14). God, through the apostle Paul, restricts women from serving in roles of teaching and/or having spiritual authority over men. This precludes women from serving as pastors over men, which definitely includes preaching to, teaching, and having spiritual authority.

There are many “objections” to this view of women in ministry. A common one is that Paul restricts women from teaching because in the first century, women were typically uneducated. However, 1 Timothy 2:11-14 nowhere mentions educational status. If education were a qualification for ministry, the majority of Jesus’ disciples would not have been qualified. A second common objection is that Paul only restricted the women of Ephesus from teaching (1 Timothy was written to Timothy, who was the pastor of the church in Ephesus). The city of Ephesus was known for its temple to Artemis, a false Greek/Roman goddess. Women were the authority in the worship of Artemis. However, the book of 1 Timothy nowhere mentions Artemis, nor does Paul mention Artemis worship as a reason for the restrictions in 1 Timothy 2:11-12.

A third common objection is that Paul is only referring to husbands and wives, not men and women in general. The Greek words in the passage could refer to husbands and wives; however, the basic meaning of the words refers to men and women. Further, the same Greek words are used in verses 8-10. Are only husbands to lift up holy hands in prayer without anger and disputing (verse 8)? Are only wives to dress modestly, have good deeds, and worship God (verses 9-10)? Of course not. Verses 8-10 clearly refer to all men and women, not only husbands and wives. There is nothing in the context that would indicate a switch to husbands and wives in verses 11-14.

Yet another frequent objection to this interpretation of women in ministry is in relation to women who held positions of leadership in the Bible, specifically Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah in the Old Testament. This objection fails to note some significant factors. First, Deborah was the only female judge among 13 male judges. Huldah was the only female prophet among dozens of male prophets mentioned in the Bible. Miriam’s only connection to leadership was being the sister of Moses and Aaron. The two most prominent women in the times of the Kings were Athaliah and Jezebel—hardly examples of godly female leadership. Most significantly, though, the authority of women in the Old Testament is not relevant to the issue. The book of 1 Timothy and the other Pastoral Epistles present a new paradigm for the church—the body of Christ—and that paradigm involves the authority structure for the church, not for the nation of Israel or any other Old Testament entity.

Similar arguments are made using Priscilla and Phoebe in the New Testament. In Acts 18, Priscilla and Aquila are presented as faithful ministers for Christ. Priscilla’s name is mentioned first, perhaps indicating that she was more “prominent” in ministry than her husband. However, Priscilla is nowhere described as participating in a ministry activity that is in contradiction to 1 Timothy 2:11-14. Priscilla and Aquila brought Apollos into their home and they both discipled him, explaining the Word of God to him more accurately (Acts 18:26).

In Romans 16:1; even if Phoebe is considered a “deaconess” instead of a “servant,” that does not indicate that Phoebe was a teacher in the church. “Able to teach” is given as a qualification for elders, but not deacons (1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:6-9). Elders/bishops/deacons are described as the “husband of one wife,” “a man whose children believe,” and “men worthy of respect.” Clearly the indication is that these qualifications refer to men. In addition, in 1 Timothy 3:1-13 and Titus 1:6-9, masculine pronouns are used exclusively to refer to elders/bishops/deacons.

The structure of 1 Timothy 2:11-14 makes the “reason” perfectly clear. Verse 13 begins with “for” and gives the “cause” of Paul’s statement in verses 11-12. Why should women not teach or have authority over men? Because “Adam was created first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived.” God created Adam first and then created Eve to be a “helper” for Adam. This order of creation has universal application in the family (Ephesians 5:22-33) and the church. The fact that Eve was deceived is also given as a reason for women not serving as pastors or having spiritual authority over men. This leads some to believe that women should not teach because they are more easily deceived. That concept is debatable, but if women are more easily deceived, why should they be allowed to teach children (who are easily deceived) and other women (who are supposedly more easily deceived)? That is not what the text says. Women are not to teach men or have spiritual authority over men because Eve was deceived. As a result, God has given men the primary teaching authority in the church.

Many women excel in gifts of hospitality, mercy, teaching, evangelism, and helps. Much of the ministry of the local church depends on women. Women in the church are not restricted from public praying or prophesying (1 Corinthians 11:5), only from having spiritual teaching authority over men. The Bible nowhere restricts women from exercising the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12). Women, just as much as men, are called to minister to others, to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), and to proclaim the gospel to the lost (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 3:15).

God has ordained that only men are to serve in positions of spiritual teaching authority in the church. This is not because men are necessarily better teachers, or because women are inferior or less intelligent (which is not the case). It is simply the way God designed the church to function. Men are to set the example in spiritual leadership—in their lives and through their words. Women are to take a less authoritative role. Women are encouraged to teach other women (Titus 2:3-5). The Bible also does not restrict women from teaching children. The only activity women are restricted from is teaching or having spiritual authority over men. This logically would preclude women from serving as pastors to men. This does not make women less important, by any means, but rather gives them a ministry focus more in agreement with God’s plan and His gifting of them.

Obviously, the question of women serving as pastors is a very controversial one. There are very strongly held beliefs on both sides of the argument. There are people on both sides who truly strive to use the Bible alone to come to a conclusion on the issue. Sadly, though, far more people allow their emotions, preferences, and preconceptions to be the determining factor. The most common non-biblical objections to our stand on women pastors are:

(1) You are a bunch of misogynist chauvinist pigs. This argument is usually either the opening salvo, or the conclusion. Basically, it says that the only reason to deny women from serving as pastors is if you hate women. It completely ignores the undeniable fact that there are several texts in the Bible that at least seem to place restrictions on women serving as pastors. You can disagree with our interpretation. But, to state that our understanding is a completely invalid application of the texts – that is unreasonable.

(2) I know you are wrong because God has called me, a woman, to be a pastor. There is often no value in reasoning with someone who thinks God has told him/her to do something. You could show him/her all the biblical and theological evidence and it would not matter. “Who are you to argue with what God has told me?” I’ll take what I KNOW God has said in His Word over what you claim God has told you every single time.

(3) There are many women pastors who lead very successful ministries. The argument is basically that if God does not call women to be pastors, these women would not be leading successful churches. Since when do we base our understanding of what God is blessing on how successful it is? The Mormon church is growing faster than the Christian denominations. Even worse, Islam is growing faster than Christianity. We cannot base our beliefs on what is successful. Why then do some women pastors lead successful ministries? I believe the power is the Word of God, not the messenger. “So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11)

Don’t get me wrong, I recognize that there are biblically-based arguments for an egalitarian understanding of the women pastors issue. I’ll leave a response to those arguments for a future post on this blog. I truly wish all of these emotional knee-jerk reactions could be set aside and we could focus exclusively on the interpretation of the biblical passages that speak to the issue of women pastors. Sadly, though, the vast majority of objections to our women pastors article are based on the above arguments. What is truly most discouraging is when people essentially admit “I do not care what the Bible says…”

By David Reid

“If things don’t work out we can always get a divorce.” All too often these days we find that this is the unspoken attitude of persons contemplating marriage. The “old-fashioned” ideas of “for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do us part” don’t carry much weight in our society any more. My life and my happiness and my fulfillment are what’s important. And besides, if both partners more or less agree to a divorce, why not? Why should two potentially dynamic individuals stifle themselves by trying to grind it out in an unhappy marriage over the years, only to remain static and unfulfilled and miserable? Divorce would be so much better in the long run! This present-day concept of marriage may sound reasonable, but it is definitely contrary to the Word of God. Growing Christians must be extremely careful that they don’t become brainwashed by current social thought. Our culture is constantly exerting enormous pressure on us. If we aren’t careful, we can be gradually and unknowingly conformed to our culture’s way of thinking. Any Christian who is considering marriage in the near future (Yes, that could be you!) needs to be reminded that according to the standards of Scripture, divorce is not an option when the honeymoon is over.

Divorce is not a biblical option because the Lord says, “I hate divorce.” It is significant that this verse comes to us from Malachi, which was written at the close of the Old Testament period (5th century BC). Even though divorce had become commonplace in Israel by this time, God had in no way “lowered” or changed His standard with the passing of time. God gave His concept of what marriage is to be when He brought the first man and woman together in the beginning. God declared that “a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh” (Gen. 2:24). Man was not to separate what God had joined together. That was our Lord’s comment about the divine institution of marriage. (See Matt. 19:5-6.) How can we dare to make divorce an option–unless we have a low view of God and His Word?

Divorce had raised its ugly head within the circles of God’s people as early as Moses’ day. Most likely the people of Israel had picked up the idea of “divorce on demand” during their long stay in Egypt where divorce was prevalent. While it’s true that the Law of Moses did permit or tolerate divorce (see Deut. 24:1-4), this allowance was certainly not in the original divine design. In fact, when our Lord Jesus was questioned about this section of the Law (Matthew 19:7-9), He made it clear that divorce was never a divinely-sanctioned option–”it was not this way from the beginning!” Notice that the Lord even changed the wording of the Pharisees’ question in order to drive home the point that divorce was man’s idea, not God’s. They asked, “Why did Moses command…?” Jesus answered, “Moses permitted…” The permission was not because God approved of divorce, but because man’s heart was hard–stubborn and perverse. Divorce has never been a God-approved option–before the Law, under the Law, or under Grace. The sins that God in His grace forgives don’t become any less sin than they were “from the beginning.”

Our Lord went on to declare that divorce was tantamount to adultery (Matthew 19:9). The strictness of the “narrow” view is confirmed by the disciples’ shocked reaction in verse 10. In light of such Scripture, can any Christian reasonably take a more lenient position than the Son of God did? If Jesus is Lord, then divorce cannot be an option–regardless of changes today in concept, culture or church.

The Lord Jesus gave one exception only to the no-divorce rule–only one! If one partner in the marriage is unfaithful to the other, then divorce is permitted. This permission was not given to encourage divorce, but rather to expressly forbid it for any other cause. The reason that divorce is permitted for adultery is that this sin is of such a nature that the very concept of marriage is broken. Marriage is consummated when the man and woman become “one flesh” in physical union (Genesis 2:24). When physical union takes place outside of marriage, the “one flesh” reality still holds, as specifically stated in 1 Corinthians 6:16. Thus, in the case of adultery, the original divine yoke is broken, and divorce is permitted as a legal recognition of the break which has already taken place in the sight of God. The unfaithful partner will one day have to answer to God Himself for daring to sever the bond which “God has joined together” (Matthew 19:6).

Why does God hate divorce? One reason is that the severing of the divine union distorts the important truth that God wants to convey through marriage. God ordained marriage not only for the purposes of propagation and enjoyment, but also to model the relationship between God and His people. The constant and permanent love and care and forgiveness that God extends to us is to be replicated in marriage. This concept isn’t the wishful thinking of some romanticist who’s removed from the real world, but rather the direct teaching of Scripture. In Ephesians 5:22-33 husbands and wives are commanded to reflect the love relationship between Christ and His Church (vs22-29). The truth of our forever union with Christ is to be portrayed in the bond of marriage (vs30-31). What a mind-blowing revelation! No wonder the Scripture calls the “one-flesh” reality a great mystery (v 32).

Divorce shatters the picture! The wonder and beauty and depth of the love relationship between Christ and His Church cannot be communicated through a broken marriage. When problems develop in a marriage (and no marriage is without its tensions), every effort should be made to restore the perfect model. These efforts can even become part of the picture, since Christ works at our relationship by continually loving and forgiving and restoring His Church, with all its imperfections. Working marriages can reflect this dynamic relationship, but divorce can never mirror the on-going relationship between us and the Lord. For this reason, even in the case of unfaithfulness, the ideal solution would be forgiveness rather than divorce. (Read the book of Hosea.) Yes, although divorce is permitted for the faithful partner, it is not demanded. Restoration and reconciliation rather than divorce is a far better picture of how God deals with His people. We can praise God that He doesn’t opt for divorce every time we are unfaithful to Him.

“But is it worth it all?” some Christians ask. “Why shouldn’t I get a divorce anyway? Sure I’ll admit that it’s wrong, and that God’s beautiful picture will be messed up, but my marriage isn’t a beautiful picture anyway. And divorce is better than years and years of unhappy marriage.” Or, “I’ll just be one of many forgiven divorcees in heaven. And don’t tell me you haven’t made a lot of mistakes yourself–you just happened to `luck out’ in your marriage.” This kind of commentary is common among Christians these days, and it contains a certain logic. Yes, we all make mistakes, but it’s shallow thinking to equate “mistakes” with selfishly and deliberately separating “what God has joined together.” Looking at the context of Malachi 2, we see that the Lord is addressing the Israeli men who were divorcing the “wives of their youth” for their own selfish reasons. The same was true of the conduct of the 1st century Pharisees–the historical context in which our Lord made His comments in Matthew 19. With these contexts in mind, the comments in this paper are not primarily addressed to a faithful partner who has tried to keep a marriage together, perhaps even through years of unfaithfulness or abuse. They are directed towards those believers who selfishly think that “It’s God’s will for me to be happy” and think therefore that they are justified in their deliberate, disobedient walkout. There’s no way that kind of thinking can come out of the Bible. Is it possible to be really happy in this life if we deliberately and selfishly sever a divine bond, bring pain and anguish to others, and go directly against the will of God? What about the eternal future? Will we have to “shrink away from Him in shame at His coming” (1 John 2:28)? Our position in eternity should certainly carry more weight than our pleasure now. And what about the pain our selfish actions bring to the One who unselfishly gave His life on our behalf? Won’t it be worth it all to look into His eyes some day and hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”?

Many of you may not be married yet, and may be asking at this point, “Why all the concern?” Let’s just say that it’s preventive counseling rather than crisis counseling. If, through this writing, a few growing Christians see the importance and seriousness, as well as the wonder, of marriage then it will have served its purpose. Since God hates divorce, then we can be sure that he is equally concerned about helping us make the right choice in marriage. Don’t rush into marriage! Wait on God for His choice, and remember Proverbs 3:5-6. The Lord knows our needs and our desires. “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).

Some of you who are reading this are married and may even now be struggling to keep your marriage together. Remember that God is still a God of miracles. As He can heal a diseased body, so He can heal a troubled marriage. He can even give you, supernaturally, a new love which was never there before! Working at marriage is not easy, especially when divorce is convenient and no longer carries much of a stigma in our culture. God’s Word teaches that divorce is not an option. For many Christians this is a hard doctrine to swallow. It doesn’t sound like something a “loving God” would decree! But sound doctrine is not always easy to handle. Paul challenged Timothy to endure sound doctrine, as well as hardship (2 Timothy 4:3-5). Timothy was told that the time would come when many Christians would not endure sound doctrine. They would prefer to listen to teachers who were preaching what they wanted to hear. How true today! Many Christians refuse to endure the doctrine of marriage as taught by our Lord Himself. Growing Christians are challenged to submit to the Word of God and recognize that divorce is not a biblical option.

*DISCLAIMER*  NONE of the staff at West Coast Fiya claim to be prophets.  On the contrary, we are three sinners save by HIS grace.  We do NOT claim to predict the future.  We believe and stand on Matthew 24:36  “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  We are just sharing what “we believe in our spirit” along with evidences shared below  by our partners at arewelivinginthelastdays.com.  Therefore, we believe that what is happening now is scriptural.   Below, you will see a step by step timeline that you can follow along with biblical verses.  We have found the information below to be very interesting and hope you read the article with discernment and after praying to God allow HIM to let you come to your own conclusion.

Middle East War

While we watch the seizing of freedom in America and the steady march to the collapse of the dollar [which is taking world economies with it], the Middle East is starting to come unglued. We are a front row witness to the prophetic setting of the stage for the War of Gog & Magog. We have seen alliances form between lifelong enemies Russia and Iran while at the same time countries like Turkey move from leaning to the west to path of strategic alliance with Russia and Iran. We are very close to the War of Gog & Magog, but before this happens there will be a Middle East war that will quickly start, rapidly conclude, and then soon followed by the War of Gog & Magog.

Looking at the road ahead, Israel is on the verge of a preemptive strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities. It is likely that this strike will either initiate this war or start a chain reaction of events that will quickly lead to this war.

The Bible tells us that the nation of Israel accomplishes all the prerequisites for the War of Gog & Magog via a military solution. In victory, they will become primed for the future events of the Russian-Iranian coalition destined to form against them. At the conclusion of this war [the war preceding the War of Gog & Magog known as the Psalm 83 War], Israel’s conquest over the inner circle of the surrounding Arab populations of Palestinians, Syrians, Saudi Arabians, Egyptians, Lebanese, and Jordanians will see Israel’s borders enlarged, prosperity increased, and national stature remarkably enhanced.

Ezekiel 28:24-26
24 No longer will the people of Israel have malicious neighbors who are painful briers and sharp thorns. Then they will know that I am the Sovereign LORD. 25 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: When I gather the people of Israel from the nations where they have been scattered, I will show myself holy among them in the sight of the nations. Then they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Jacob. 26 They will live there in safety and will build houses and plant vineyards; they will live in safety when I inflict punishment on all their neighbors who maligned them. Then they will know that I am the LORD their God.

Simply paraphrased: “Yes, they will dwell securely when I [God] execute judgments on all those [Arab Nations] around them who despise them.” The Bible tells us that the national security Israel so desperately seeks today occurs via the judgments executed “on all those around them who despise them”

Surprisingly, “all those [Arab Nations] around them who despise” the emerging Jewish State of Israel, are conspicuously absent from the Russian/Iranian led coalition which includes Ethiopia, Libya, and Turkey along with several modern nations. Prophecy buffs have long wondered why this would be the case since presently “all those [Arab nations] around them who despise” Israel are some of the most vehement enemies of Israel. Coincidently, the Arab nations in question are members of a distinctly separate and yet-to-be-fulfilled prophecy in the form of a petition to God found in Psalm 83:

Psalm 83:1-8
1 Do not keep silent, O God! Do not hold Your peace, and do not be still, O God! 2 For behold, Your enemies make a tumult; and those who hate You have lifted up their head. 3 They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, and consulted together against Your sheltered ones. 4 They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.” 5 For they have consulted together with one consent; they form a confederacy against You: 6 The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab and the Hagrites; 7 Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre; 8 Assyria also has joined with them; they have helped the children of Lot.  Selah

We know that the Russian-Iranian led coalition will attempt to invade a militarily secure Israel. This condition of security becomes a reality only after the judgments are executed upon the surrounding Psalm 83 nations. The adversaries of Israel who seek to cut the Jews off from being a nation will form their own coalition. Unfortunately for them, they are described inEzekiel 28:24-26 as “all those around them who despise them.” They are those upon whom God will execute devastating judgments prior to the formation of the Russian-Iranian coalition via the IDF [Israeli Defense Force].

Two Different Wars
Many have confused the events of the War of Gog & Magog with a preceding war describe in Psalm, Ezekiel, Obadiah, Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Zephaniah. Keep in mind that it is God and God alone who destroys the Russian/Iranian coalition. However, in this war [the Psalm 83 War], it is the Israeli army who blessed by God destroys a different Arab coalition.

Ezekiel 25:13-14
Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will stretch out my hand against Edom and kill its men and their animals. I will lay it waste, and from Teman to Dedan [Saudi Arabia] they will fall by the sword. I will take vengeance on Edom by the hand of my people Israel [Israeli Defense Force IDF], and they will deal with Edom in accordance with my anger and my wrath; they will know my vengeance, declares the Sovereign LORD.

We must also look at the prerequisites for War of Gog & Magog:

1) Israel must be reestablished as a sovereign Jewish Nation.
2) Living securely “without walls” [Military secure].
3) Be living at peace in the Middle East.
4) One of, if not the richest nations on earth.

Ezekiel 38:10-12 tells us that at the time of the advancing Russian-Iranian led coalition, Israel will be “a people, who dwell safely, all if them dwelling without walls.” Israel will be a nation at peace in the Middle East.

Here are the two different coalitions:

Psalm 83 Coalition:
Tents of Edom = [decedents of Esau] Palestinian Refugees and Southern Jordanians
Ishmaelites = Saudi Arabians
Moab = Palestinian Refugees and Central Jordanians
Hagrites = Egyptians
Gebal = Northern Lebanese
Ammon = Palestinian Refugees and Northern Jordanians
Amalek = Arabs South of Israel
Philista = Palestinian Refugees and Hamas of Gaza Strip
Inhabitants of Tyre = Hezbollah and Southern Lebanese
Assyria = Syrians and perhaps Northern Iraqis included
Children of Lot = Moab and Ammon

* Palestinians is the ethnic label tossed around loosely in modern times to identify three predominantly Arab groups of people: the Palestinians of the Gaza Strip, the Palestinians of the West Bank, and the Palestinian refugees. These groups inhabit the territories that most closely approach the borders of modern-day Israel. We generally understand that these groups are comprised of a mixture of peoples who descend from various origins, the main one of these being traceable back to Esau, father of the Edomites.

Gog Magog Coalition:
Magog, Rosh = Russia and the former Soviet republics
Persia = Iran
Cush = Sudan, Ethiopia, and Possibly Eritrea
Put = Libya, Algeria, and Tunisa
Gomer, Meshech, and Tubal = Turkey (and possibly Germany and Austria)
Beth-togarmah = Turkey, Armenia, and the Turkish-speaking people of Asia Minor & Central Asia

Fast Approaching War
This impending war in the Middle East will be a major and devastating war. The Arab confederacy of Psalm 83 will be defeated and destroyed by the army of Israel:

Jeremiah 49:2
But the days are coming, “declares the LORD,” when I will sound the battle cry against Rabbah of the Ammonites[Ammon, Jordan]; it will become a mound of ruins, and its surrounding villages will be set on fire. Then Israel will drive out those who drove her out,” says the LORD.

Jeremiah 49:8
Turn and flee, hide in deep caves, you who live in Dedan [Saudi Arabia], for I will bring disaster on Esau at the time I punish him [Southern Jordan].

Jeremiah 49:19
“Like a lion [confederacy of Esau] coming up from Jordan’s thickets to a rich pastureland [Israel], I will chase Edom from its land in an instant. Who is the chosen one I will appoint for this? Who is like me and who can challenge me? And what shepherd can stand against me?”

These are just three of many scriptures that point to a Middle East war that is fast approaching. Interestingly enough, many Bible scholars apparently do not recognize how soon. Some scholars place this war within the seven-year Tribulation period. This is however not the case.

Obadiah 1:15-16
15 “The day of the LORD [Tribulation] is near for all nations [not yet happened]. As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head. 16 Just as you [Esau] drank [experience judgment] on my holy hill [Israel], so all the nations will drink continually; they will drink and drink and be as if they had never been.

Obadiah 1:15-16 is a key scripture which reveals that Esau’s judgment will happen before Tribulation or “the day of the Lord.”

Some have lumped this battle in with Armageddon, but as we have already seen this must take place before Armageddon and before Tribulation. There are two judgments that come against the territory of Edom in the latter years. The first by the Jews against the Palestinians and their confederate neighbors, and the second is by Jesus Christ against all the armies assembled in the campaign of Armageddon. If we compare Jeremiah 49:19-22 to the counterpart passage found in Jeremiah 50:43-46, we see depicted in both cases a military effort staged at the “flood plain of Jordan” against the Jews. The first campaign is by the Psalm 83 confederacy led by Edom, and the second is the campaign of Armageddon led by the Antichrist. In the first campaign, the objective is to destroy the Jews. In the second [Armageddon], all the armies of the world will converge with many gathering to fight against the Antichrist. It is at that point that Jesus Christ will return and they will all turn to fight him but will be completely destroyed.

The Psalm 83 War will occur soon, in advance of both the Russian-Iranian invasion attempt and the seventieth week of Daniel [seven year Tribulation period]. During the Tribulation period, the much feared Israeli army will be sidelined for the first three-and-one-half years while a false and temporary peace accord is in place. Then, in the second three-and-one-half years, this army is defeated and the Jews flee Israel for safety elsewhere as the Antichrist advances in an attempt to destroy them.What Will Happen in This War
While Psalm 83 [and other already noted books in the Bible] tells us of this coming war, the Book of Obadiah which is a single book made up of 21 passages is a record of Obadiah’s vision given to him by God about this coming Middle East War.

Obadiah 1:18
The house of Jacob will be a fire and the house of Joseph a flame; the house of Esau will be stubble, and they will set it on fire and consume it. There will be no survivors from the house of Esau. The LORD has spoken.

Israel, represented by the house of Jacob and Joseph reduces Southern Jordan, which is represented by Esau, to rubble. This defeat is thorough leaving no survivors.

Obadiah 1:9
Your warriors, O Teman, will be terrified, and everyone in Esau’s mountains will be cut down in the slaughter.

Obadiah 1:9 describes the soldiers of Teman, as having been slaughtered. This emphasizes the severity of Israel’s victory over the Palestinian descendants of Edom. Teman’s modern day equivalent may be Taiwan, about 3 miles east of Petra. However Teman and the mountains of Esau appear to be representative of the entire region of Edom in this passage.

Ezekiel 25:13-14
Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will stretch out my hand against Edom and kill its men and their animals. I will lay it waste, and from Teman to Dedan [Saudi Arabia] they will fall by the sword. I will take vengeance on Edom by the hand of my people Israel [Israeli Defense Force IDF], and they will deal with Edom in accordance with my anger and my wrath; they will know my vengeance, declares the Sovereign LORD.

This war extends into Saudi Arabia.

Jeremiah 49:8
Turn and flee, hide in deep caves, you who live in Dedan, for I will bring disaster on Esau at the time I punish him.

This is a warning to the Saudis to disengage from their confederate allegiance with the Palestinians. They are instructed to flee from the slaughter and go back into the depths of Saudi Arabia. The historical location of “Dedan” was in Northwest Saudi Arabia. Ezekiel tells us that the Saudis do not heed Jeremiah’s warning.

Ezekiel 25:13
Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will stretch out my hand against Edom and kill its men and their animals. I will lay it waste, and from Teman to Dedan they will fall by the sword.

This reference to Dedan, Arabia offers a connection to the confederacy of Esau/Edom found in Psalm 83:4-8 and Obadiah 1:7. In Psalm 83:6, the Saudis are represented by their ancestor Ishmael and are labeled as the “Ishmaelites.” Esau is Edom, according to Genesis 36:1, much like his twin bother Jacob is also called Israel [Genesis 32:28]

The army of Israel advances beyond the southern border of Jordan into northwest Saudi Arabia, represented by Dedan, as far south as the Red Sea.

Jeremiah 49:20-21
Therefore, hear what the LORD has planned against Edom, what he has purposed against those who live in Teman: The young of the flock will be dragged away; he will completely destroy their pasture because of them. At the sound of their fall the earth will tremble; their cry will resound to the Red Sea.

This places the confederate members of Saudi Arabia, Southern Jordan, and Egypt within this war’s scope.

The army of Israel will cut off its confederate adversaries and then come down upon the Gaza territory. In continuing their conquest, they plunder the people of the East, which according to its scriptural usage in Genesis 29:1, would be Syria. They then lay their hands on all of Jordan causing its capitol to fall under Jewish sovereignty. Ammon represents northern Jordan, the location of the capitol city of Amman. Isaiah says the people of Ammon shall obey them, depicting the surrender of Jordanian sovereignty.

As this war rages, Isaiah 17 describes what will happen in the north with Syria. The description here is quite amazing.

Please take a few seconds to open up and read Isaiah 17:1-14

Isaiah 17:1-9, is describing one of two events:

1) Syria [who we know has chemical and bio-weapons: http://www.meforum.org/493/guile-gas-and-germs-syrias-ultimate-weapons] launches some kind of chemical or biological attack that kills many in northern Israel which is then follow by a nuclear attack from Israel that wipes out Damascus.

OR EITHER

2) Israel fighting on all fronts and facing a Syrian army sweeping through the north utilize a limited version of its Samson Option [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samson_Option] to avoid being overrun. This nuclear strike is clearly going hit Damascus which is just over the Israeli northern border. It could be that Isaiah 17:4-6 is describing the radiation poisoning experienced in the north due to the fallout.

The results [from either event] are clearly spelled out. Damascus, the oldest continually inhabited city on earth, will be instantly and completely destroyed and Syria will be crushed by the IDF [Israeli Defense Force].

Isaiah 17:1,9,14
1 An oracle concerning Damascus: “See, Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap of ruins.

9 In that day their strong cities, which they left because of the Israelites, will be like places abandoned to thickets and undergrowth. And all will be desolation.

14 In the evening, sudden terror! Before the morning, they are gone! This is the portion of those who loot us, the lot of those who plunder us.

From Isaiah 11:14 & Isaiah 17:1 we know that Israel will destroy Damascus and completely take over Syria. Presently, almost every known Middle Easter terrorist organization has representation in Damascus. How fitting that the city that is the most adversarial to the nation of Israel will cease to exist.

Both Jeremiah and Isaiah tell us how Egypt, another member of this Arab coalition, will react to the news of what the IDF [Israeli Defense Force] has done to Syria:

Isaiah 19:16-17
16 In that day the Egyptians will be like women. They will shudder with fear at the uplifted hand that the LORD Almighty raises against them. 17 And the land of Judah will bring terror to the Egyptians; everyone to whom Judah is mentioned will be terrified, because of what the LORD Almighty is planning against them.

The picture that Isaiah aptly portrays is that of a fragile, unarmed female fighting a skilled male warrior wielding a mighty sword. The woman is freighted as the warrior waves his sword in the air.

Jeremiah 49:23-26
23 Against Damascus. “Hamath and Arpad are shamed, for they have heard bad news. They are fainthearted; there is trouble on the sea; it cannot be quiet. 24 Damascus has grown feeble; she turns to flee, and fear has seized her. Anguish and sorrows have taken her like a woman in labor. 25 Why is the city of praise [Jerusalem] not deserted, the city of My joy? 26 Therefore her young men shall fall in her [Damascus] streets, and all the men of war shall be cut off in that day,” says the LORD of hosts.

Israel’s Borders Expand: The New Middle East
The Bible tells us that as a result of this massive military victory given to Israel from God via the IDF, the face of the Middle East will drastically change. Israel will significantly increase in size. The tiny nation of Israel as we currently know it will soon encompass a major portion of the Middle East. The nations that form this Arab coalition fall [for the most part] within the scope of land from the covenant that God made with Abraham. At the end of this war, Israel’s borders will be reset to that of, or very close to, the borders that God established for Israel in is covenant with Abraham. Genesis 15:18

Obadiah 1:19
19 The South shall possess the mountains of Esau [Southern Jordan], and the Lowland shall possess Philistia[Gaza Strip]. They shall possess the fields of Ephraim and the fields of Samaria [West Bank]. Benjamin shall possess Gilead [West Bank & Golan Heights].

The Negev will possess Southern Jordan. The lowland of Judah will possess the Gaza Strip and the southern parts of the West Bank. Northern Israel will possess the northern part of the West Bank, the Golan Heights, much of northern Jordan, and southern Syria.

Jeremiah 49:2
Therefore behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “That I will cause to be heard an alarm of war In Rabbah of the Ammonites; It shall be a desolate mound, And her villages shall be burned with fire. Then Israel shall take possession of his inheritance,” says the LORD.

Much of modern-day Jordan was once part of the inheritance of Israel. The tribes of East Manasseh, Benjamin, Gad, and Reuben once possessed land that is presently under Jordanian sovereignty but this land will soon pass back to its rightful owner.

Isaiah 19:18-19
18 In that day five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear by the LORD of hosts; one will be called the City of Destruction. 19 In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the LORD at its border.

Isaiah tells us that the expansion of Israeli sovereignty in the region will even reach into Egypt to some degree. Five Hebrew speaking cities will be established in the land of Egypt. There will be an altar erected to God as well as a pillar erected to God on the border.

Israel will be elevated to a condition of regional superiority due to their decisive victory over the Arab confederacy. As such, they dwell securely in the Middle East [for a time].

Prisoners of war
Israel will take prisoners of war. They will establish future detention camps in the regions of Southern Lebanon and the Negev.

Jeremiah 49:3,6
3 “Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is destroyed! Cry out, O inhabitants of Rabbah! Put on sackcloth and mourn; rush here and there inside the walls, for Molech will go into exile, together with his priests and officials.  6 “Yet afterward, I will restore the fortunes of the Ammonites,” declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 48:46-47
46 Woe to you, O Moab! The people of Chemosh are destroyed; your sons are taken into exile and your daughters into captivity. 47 “Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab in days to come,” declares the LORD. Here ends the judgment on Moab.

Jeremiah 49:11
11 Leave your orphans; I will protect their lives. Your widows too can trust in me.”

The refugees left behind are the fatherless and the widows. The “mighty men” [soldiers] as they are called in Obadiah 1:9 are slaughtered in defeat, and the refugees left behind are instructed to trust in the Lord.

Obadiah 1:9
Your warriors, O Teman, will be terrified, and everyone in Esau’s mountains will be cut down in the slaughter.

According to Obadiah, these fatherless children and widows are transported to internment camps.

Obadiah 1:18-20
18 The house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame; but the house of Esau shall be stubble; They shall kindle them and devour them, and no survivor shall remain of the house of Esau,” For the LORD has spoken. 19 The South shall possess the mountains of Esau, And the Lowland shall possess Philistia. They shall possess the fields of Ephraim And the fields of Samaria. Benjamin shall possess Gilead. 20 And the captives of this host of the children of Israel Shall possess the land of the Canaanites As far as Zarephath. The captives of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad Shall possess the cities of the South.

Some teach that the “the captives of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad” refers to the return of Jewish people back into Israel from Spain and other associated areas. However, the Hebrew word Obadiah uses for “this host,” is cheyl, which is defined as “a collateral form of; an army; also [by analogy] an entrenchment, or bulwark.” “This Host,” the ones referred to in verse 18 as the “houses of Jacob and Joseph” and known in verse 19 as “the possessors” of the expanded territories; “This Host” in verse 20 relocates Palestinian exiles. The Hebrew word used here by Obadiah for “possess,” is yaresh, and in this instance we can translate it as “supplanted.”

The inference here is that the Israeli army will take prisoners of war and detain them in designated areas. Israel will establish two camps for these POWs: one in the north “as far Zarephath,” which is modern day Lebanon, and one to “the south,” referring to the Negev also identified in verse 19.

The Nations Freak Out

Jeremiah 49:21
At the sound of their fall the earth will tremble; their cry will resound to the Red Sea.

Jeremiah says the Earth shakes at the sound of their fall. This shows the magnitude of the affect that this war will have on the international community. The Hebrew word used here is “rash”, which expresses the trembling experienced during a devastating earthquake and its aftershock.

Isaiah 17:12-13 describes it this way:
12 Oh, the raging of many nations— they rage like the raging sea! Oh, the uproar of the peoples— they roar like the roaring of great waters! 13 Although the peoples roar like the roar of surging waters, when he rebukes them they flee far away, driven before the wind like chaff on the hills, like tumbleweed before a gale.

Setting the stage for the Antichrist
It is also important to understand what the prophet Daniel declared regarding Edom and the end-time faithful Jewish remnant. He states that the Antichrist enters into the “Glorious Land” which is Israel with her new pre-ordained borders which at that time should encompass parts of what are modern day Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt.

Daniel 11:41
He will also invade the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand.

The Antichrist comes in heavy-handedly conquering many countries, but he does not overthrow Edom, Moab, and Ammon. These three territories comprise what today referred to as the nation of Jordan. Jordan became a nation in 1946 but prior to this was referred to down through the generations as Edom, Moab, and Ammon which as we already know will be under Jewish control. Daniel declares that Jordan escapes the hands of the Antichrist, yet Isaiah informs us that Jordanians do not escape the grasp of Israel’s army.

The sequence of events prophesied over Edom, Moab, and Ammon are first that the people of Jordan align themselves with the Psalm 83:6-8 confederacy. Second, this confederacy goes to war against Israel. Third, Israel defeats them. Fourth, Israel establishes sovereignty over Jordan. Fifth, the Antichrist initiates a campaign to destroy Israel. Sixth, the Antichrist avoids Jordan, and marches through Israel proper instead. We can tell by the path the Antichrist will take that his aim is to kill the Jews.

By connecting the dots, we can determine that the people whom Isaiah says, “Ammon shall Obey,” are those reigning over them. Since the events Daniel describes occur after the events Isaiah describes, we can surmise “the prominent people of Ammon” referred to by Daniel are those governing Jordan at the time that the Antichrist marches into Israel. According to Isaiah, those sovereign over Jordan at the time are the Jews.

Therefore “the prominent people of Ammon” whom Daniel declares will escape the march of the Antichrist will either be Jewish governors or some form of vassal Jordanian government subservient to Israeli sovereignty. Because the Antichrist is on a campaign to overthrow the Jews and kill them, his focus is on the supreme leadership of the Jews headquartered in Israel, rather than their ambassadors stationed in Amman [Amman, with an “a”, is the present day capital of Jordan]. This could be the reason the prominent people of Ammon escape.

Daniel 11:42-43 tells us that he will then go down into Egypt and he will take their treasure. He’ll probably use the excuse of taking out the [by then] established Jewish cities there as a reason for moving into the area but Daniel makes it clear that he will be taking the treasure from this area which is probably his real motivation.

IMPORTANT: A Signal To Christians
The judgment to befall Edom will serve as a precursor to the judgment that will come in “the day of the Lord upon all the nations.” Zephaniah 2 [Amplified Bible] makes clear that this judgment against Edom, which also extends to the other confederate member nations, is to serve as an example to the other nations but more importantly it is a call to the “meek of the Earth” to get right before “the day of the Lord” and the Rapture of the Church occurs.

Zephaniah 2:3-5
3 Seek the Lord [inquire for Him, inquire of Him, and require Him as the foremost necessity of your life], all you humble of the land who have acted in compliance with His revealed will and have kept His commandments; seek righteousness, seek humility [inquire for them, require them as vital]. It may be you will be hidden in the day of the Lord’s anger.

4 For [hear the fate of the Philistines:] Gaza shall be forsaken and Ashkelon shall become a desolation; the people of Ashdod shall be driven out at noonday and Ekron shall be uprooted.

5 Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast, the nation of the Cherethites [in Philistia]! The word of the Lord is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines; I will destroy you until no inhabitant is left.

Zephaniah sets the stage as follows: The Jews return into the land of Israel then conquer the Arab alliance which is really an Iranian plot. As a result, Israeli fortunes are greatly enhanced. Then Zephaniah appears to allude to the advance against the regionally superior Israel by the Russian/Iranian coalition spoken of in chapters 38 and 39 of Ezekiel, which is commonly referred to as the war of Gog & Magog.

Lastly, he declares that these events occur before the day of the Lord arrives, which is the period of time known as Tribulation. He prophesizes all of the above for the primary purpose of invoking the “meek of the Earth” [Christians] into the worship of God.

Included with the return of the Jewish people to their homeland is the restoration of their fortunes. This is an important area of Biblical prophecy not to be overlooked! Zephaniah, in his call to caution, causes the meek of the earth to consider very carefully this important episode. When they [you] witness Israel empowered, they are to recognize that the time to take action and be hidden from the day of the Lord is running out.

The following article was originally published by the Stonegate Institute

Many in the media are indignant with Reverend Franklin Graham, head of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.  Invited on “Morning Joe” last Tuesday to discuss Christian persecution, the hosts turned the focus to interrogating Graham on whether he thought President Barack Obama was Christian or not.  Though the Reverend concluded that Obama “has said he’s a Christian, so I just have to assume that he is,” he appeared skeptical, suggesting Obama’s policies disagree with Christian principles, and thus earning the full ire of much of the fourth estate.

Intrinsically trivial on many levels, this incident nevertheless brings several important points to the fore.

First, Graham was absolutely right to say that, “under Islamic law, the Muslim world sees Barack Obama as a Muslim, as a son of Islam”: according to Sharia, if one’s father is Muslim, one automatically becomes Muslim.  In fact, the reason behind last week’s church attack in Egypt, when thousands of Muslims tried to torch a church and kill its pastor, is that a Christian girl fled her father after he converted to Islam: she did not want to be Muslim, and was rumored to be hiding in the church.  (This would not be the first time in recent months that churches were attacked on similar rumors.)

Because of this automatic passage of Islam from father to son—with the death penalty for those seeking to apostatize, the condemned Iranian pastor being just the most visible example—and because Obama attended a madrassa (a Muslim religious school) during his youth in Indonesia, many Muslims are convinced that Obama is a “secret” Muslim.  In a Forbes article, “My Muslim President Obama: Why members of the faith see him as one of the flock,” writer Asma Gull Hasan elaborates:

[S]ince Election Day, I have been part of more and more conversations with Muslims in which it was either offhandedly agreed that Obama is Muslim or enthusiastically blurted out. In commenting on our new president, “I have to support my fellow Muslim brother,” would slip out of my mouth before I had a chance to think twice.  “Well, I know he’s not really Muslim,” I would quickly add. But if the person I was talking to was Muslim, they would say, “yes he is.” ….  Most of the Muslims I know (me included) can’t seem to accept that Obama is not Muslim.  Of the few Muslims I polled who said that Obama is not Muslim, even they conceded that he had ties to Islam….  The rationalistic, Western side of me knows that Obama has denied being Muslim, that his father was non-practicing, that he doesn’t attend a mosque. Many Muslims simply say back, “my father’s not a strict Muslim either, and I haven’t been to a mosque in years.” Obama even told The New York Times he could recite the adhan, the Islamic call to prayer, which the vast majority of Muslims, I would guess, do not know well enough to recite.  [Read the entire article, which is more eye-opening than the author probably intended.]

Another reason why many Muslims believe Obama is Muslim (a reason Ms. Hasan’s article understandably omits) is that, under the Islamic doctrine of taqiyya, Muslims are permitted—in certain contexts even encouraged—to deny being Muslim, if so doing secures them or Islam an advantage.  Accordingly, Islamic history is full of stories of Muslims denying and publicly cursing Islam, even pretending to be Christian, whenever it was strategic.

In other words, if an American president was a secret Muslim, and if he was lying about it, and even if he was secretly working to subvert the U.S. to Islam’s advantage —not only would that be justified by Islamic doctrines of loyalty and deception, but it would have ample precedents, stretching back to the dawn of Islam. Such as when Muhammad commanded a convert from an adversarial tribe to conceal his new Muslim identity and go back to his tribe—which he cajoled with a perfidious “You are my stock and my family, the dearest of men to me”—only to betray them to Islam’s invading armies.

Graham further upset “progressive” sensitivities by saying “All I know is under Obama, President Obama, the Muslims of the world, he seems to be more concerned about them than the Christians that are being murdered in the Muslim countries,” adding that “Islam has gotten a free pass under Obama.”

Yet who can deny this?  Whether by expunging any reference to Islam in U.S. security documents, or enabling Muslim persecution of Christians, or ordering NASA to make Muslims “feel good” about themselves, or bowing to the anti-Christian Saudi king—the President has made his partiality for Islam very clear: Islam is undoubtedly getting a “free pass” under Obama.

What Franklin Graham’s critics fail to understand is that, when it comes to Obama’s religious identity, the Reverend probably has Jesus’ dictum in mind:  “By their fruits shall ye know them”—that is, pro-Islamic actions speak louder than Christian words.

What is “blasphemy against the Spirit”

Answer: The concept of “blasphemy against the Spirit” is mentioned in Mark 3:22-30 and Matthew 12:22-32. The term blasphemy may be generally defined as “defiant irreverence.” The term can be applied to such sins as cursing God or willfully degrading things relating to God. It is also attributing some evil to God, or denying Him some good that we should attribute to Him. This case of blasphemy, however, is a specific one, called “the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit” in Matthew 12:31. In Matthew 12:31-32, the Pharisees, having witnessed irrefutable proof that Jesus was working miracles in the power of the Holy Spirit, claimed instead that the Lord was possessed by the demon “Beelzebub” (Matthew 12:24). Now notice that in Mark 3:30 Jesus is very specific about what they did to commit “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.”

This blasphemy has to do with someone accusing Jesus Christ of being demon-possessed instead of Spirit-filled. As a result, this particular incidence of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit cannot be duplicated today. Jesus Christ is not on earth—He is seated at the right hand of God. No one can witness Jesus Christ performing a miracle and then attribute that power to Satan instead of the Spirit. The closest example today would be attributing the miracle of a redeemed person’s changed life to Satan’s power rather than to the effects of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

The blasphemy of the Spirit today, which is the same as the unpardonable sin, is the state of continued unbelief. There is no pardon for a person who dies in unbelief. Continual rejection of the Holy Spirit’s promptings to trust in Jesus Christ is the unpardonable blasphemy against Him. Remember what is stated in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Further on in the same chapter is the verse “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him” (John 3:36). The only condition wherein someone would have no forgiveness is if he is not among the “whoever believes in Him,” for it is he who “rejects the Son.”

Matt. 12:22-32 says, “Then there was brought to Him a demon-possessed man who was blind and dumb, and He healed him, so that the dumb man spoke and saw. ²³And all the multitudes were amazed, and began to say, “This man cannot be the Son of David, can he?” ²⁴But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “This man casts out demons only by Beelzebub the ruler of the demons.” ²⁵And knowing their thoughts He said to them, “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself shall not stand. ²⁶“And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand? ²⁷“And if I by Beelzebub cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? Consequently they shall be your judges. ²⁸“But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. ²⁹“Or how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. ³⁰“He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters. ³¹“Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. ³²“And whoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age, or in the age to come,” (All Scripture quotes are from the NASB).

Let me review this section briefly. In verse 22, Jesus healed a blind and dumb man. The Pharisees accuse Jesus of casting out demons by the power of “Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons” (v. 24). Jesus responds by saying that a kingdom divided will fall (vv. 25-28) and how the devil must first be bound before you can plunder his house (v. 29). In verses 31-32, He states that blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven in this age or the age to come.

By simply looking at the context it becomes apparent that blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is saying that Jesus did His miracles by the power of the devil. This is unforgivable. But why? We can find a clue by looking at the point when Jesus began His ministry.

Jesus stated that His baptism was to “fulfill all righteousness,” (Matt. 3:15). The word “fulfill” should cause us to think of the Old Testament. Basically, Jesus was baptized because He had to fulfill the Old Testament requirements for entering into the priesthood. He was a priest after the order of Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4; Heb. 5:8-10; 6:20). Priests offered sacrifice to God on behalf of the people. Jesus became a sacrifice for our sin (1 Pet. 2:21; 2 Cor. 5:21) in His role as priest. According to the Old Testament, in order for a priest to be consecrated, He had to be washed with water (Lev. 8:6; Exodus 29:4, Matt. 3:13-15) and anointed with oil (Lev. 8:12; Exodus 29:7; Matt. 3:16). Both of these were bestowed upon Jesus at His baptism. Additionally, He may have needed to be 30 years old (Num. 4:3).

The oil is representative of the Holy Spirit who descended upon Jesus at His baptism (Matt. 3:16). It was after His baptism that He began His ministry and started performing miracles. He did His miracles by the power of the Holy Spirit who had come upon Him at His baptism. The Pharisees – who knew that Jesus’ miracles validated His words and ministry (see John 11:45-48) – were attempting to discredit Jesus’ Messiahship by saying that His works were by the devil and not by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, when the Pharisees accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Satan, they were blaspheming the Holy Spirit by whom Jesus performed His miracles.  This is unforgivable because it struck at the very heart of the redemptive work of God in Christ. It struck at the very nature of Jesus’ ministry of redemption, testimony, and teaching. Jesus was ministering in the power of the Holy Spirit Himself, fulfilling the divine plan of God to provide a sacrifice for our sins (John 3:16; 1 John 4:10). The Pharisees were attributing this to demonic activity. This is a great blasphemy.

Can a Believer Commit the Unforgivable Sin?

No. A believer cannot commit the unforgivable sin. How can someone who has been born again (John 3:7), made a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17), and received eternal life (John 10:27-28) actually commit the unforgivable sin? He cannot. Jesus Himself said that we have eternal life, not conditional life: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:27-28). Besides, it says in 2 Cor. 5:17 that the Christian is a new creation in Christ. We are different, no longer slaves to the old nature (Rom. 6:14). We are regenerated by the Holy Spirit.

There is no biblical support for a believer committing this sin. It just hasn’t happened. Also, if you are worried that you may have committed the sin and can’t be forgiven, then don’t be concerned. If you are worrying about it, then you haven’t committed it. If you are worried about it, then that is a sign that you have not committed it. If you had, you wouldn’t be concerned.

In the crazy “what if” world of impossible scenarios I am convinced that Jesus would be fired within his first few months of becoming a youth leader at the typical church. Here are five reasons why…

1. He would shrink the group before he grew it.

In the Gospels Jesus scared away the loud crowds and nestled into the committed core on several occasions. What makes us think he would do anything differently in a modern youth group context as a youth leader?

His large and thriving “youth group” shrunk to next to nothing after his hard-to-understand lesson on communion in John 6:66, “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.”

In Luke 14:25-27 Jesus implemented his crowd shrinking strategy in a much more direct way, “Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: ‘If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters-yes, even their own life-such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”

Calling for such radical commitment would cause pastors’ kids to complain to their parents. Not to mention how Jesus’ thought provoking teaching style (that often created more questions than answers) would cause parents and pastors alike to cringe. Their red faces would soon turn into a pink slip.

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2. He would do most of his youth ministry outside the four walls of the youth room.

How much time do we see Jesus ministering in the temple or synagogues (the equivalent of a church building in the Jewish context)? He was there some but, more often than not, his pulpit could be found by a fig tree, on a pathway, in a field, on a mountain or in a boat. He used nature as sermon illustrations and “that just happened” incidents as his teaching curriculum.

Jesus was his own mobile app. He applied truth on the go to the lives of his mostly teenaged disciples in real life situations and it would get him fired real quick from most churches.

3. He would bring the “un” ones (dirty, flirty and rejected) into his inner circle.

Jesus reached the dirty…

“A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, ‘If you are willing, you can make me clean.’ Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man.” Mark 1:40,41

Jesus reached the flirty…

“When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is-that she is a sinner.’” Luke 7:36-39

Jesus reached the rejected….

“When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.’ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, ‘He has gone to be the guest of a sinner’” Luke 19:5-7.

As soon as Jesus started bringing converted call girls, puss-oozing sickies and cultural rejects into youth group many pretty and pristine Bible-toting, Scripture-quoting teenagers would evacuate the premises. Soon the elders would call a meeting and, well, you know what happens after that.

4. He would confront the status quo in the youth group and church at large.

“When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, ‘Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!’ His disciples remembered that it is written: ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.’ The Jews then responded to him, ‘What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?’” John 2:13-18

Imagine the scenario, Jesus flipping tables in the church foyer and screaming, “Why have you turned my Father’s house into a den of robbers?” Sure, our churches aren’t selling over-priced livestock for temple sacrifices. But many of them are selling the fattened calves of consumeristic Christianity that caters to self and not service to God. You wonder how many Sunday school classes Jesus would interupt and ask, “Why don’t we get out of here and go down to the local shelter together? We can feed the poor, clothe the hungry and share the gospel. I can teach you the lesson in the church van on the way back.”

This would lead to the inevitable …”Our leadership team is headed in a different direction” conversation.

5. His hair would be way too long to be taken seriously.

Below the ears is risky but below the shoulders? Come on! If you can’t trust a man to visit the barber once in awhile can you trust him to run a youth ministry? I didn’t think so!