The Near East Situation

In the news today we are witnessing the outworking of a very old problem in a very old place.

SUCH A HISTORY: It is the Cradle of Civilization, the place of the Tower of Babel, the land of Nimrod, Shinar, Babylon, Assyria, modern day Iraq. It is the place of Ishmael and Isaac, Jacob and Esau, blessings and cursings, struggle and strife. From such a setting comes God s great and gracious promises and predictions.

"Therefore is the name of it called BABEL; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad." (Genesis 1 1:9)

"Now the LORD had said unto Abram ... And I WILL BLESS them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." (Genesis 12: 1,3)

SUCH A HAPPENING: Oil, money, arms, aggression, peace, possession, feuding, taking, talking, planning, pressuring, waiting, watching. Who will do WHAT, WHEN, WHY? This is not new and this is not through.

"Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, the prophets say unto them, ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place. Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not" (Jeremiah 14:13-14)

"For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace... We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble!" (Jeremiah 8:11,15)

"And ye shall hear of WARS and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet? (Matthew 24:6)

"For I [the LORD] will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken... THEN SHALL THE LORD GO FORTH, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle." (Zechariah 14:2,3)

SUCH IS HOPEFUL: These are days of very great and important changes which God in His Word, the Bible, said would take place. The pages of history, secular and especially Sacred, abound in making known the only God - His LOVE and MERCY, His Righteous Judgment, His KNOWING and CARING, His glorious design, His wondrous purpose. Our HOPE is to be found and fixed in His most TRUSTWORTHY PERSON and His changeless, SURE WORD:

"Remember the former things of old: for l am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure... yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it" (Isaiah 46:9-Il).

"There is no God else beside Me; a just God and a SAVIOUR; there is none beside Me. LOOK UNTO ME, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by Myself, the Word is gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear" (Isaiah 45:21-23).

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My WORD, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto LIFE." (John 5:24)

The Kingdom of Heaven ia at hand!

MBC I.F.
Posted with permission.