World News Through the Third Lens

U.S. SLAMS ISRAEL OVER DESIGNATING HERITAGE SITES by Les Young.

I searched and searched my local paper and I couldn't find anything with respect to this report out of Israel, so the report cited here is from Bill Koenig at watch.org., the Washington Post and other Internet news sources.

The Obama administration criticized Israel Wednesday for designating two shrines on Palestinian territory as national heritage sites, calling the move "provocative" and unhelpful to the goal of getting the two sides back to the table. The criticism came as Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton said she hopes long-stalled peace talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians will resume. Clinton told a Congressional committee that groundwork is being laid to restart the talks with the help of US envoy, George Mitchell. Her remarks came amid a flurry of U.S. diplomatic activity in the region, even as efforts are underway to convene another meeting of the Quartet in Moscow on March 19th.

U.S. with the designations of the Cave of the Patriarchs in the flash point town of Hebron, and the traditional tomb of the biblical matriarch Rachel in Bethlehem has been conveyed to senior Israeli officials, according to State Department spokesman, Mark Toner. Jews revere the site - the Cave of the Patriarchs - where the Bible says the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were buried along with three of their wives. Muslims call it the al-Ibrahimi mosque, reflecting the fact that Abraham is considered the father of Judaism and Islam. The Palestinians also claim all of the West Bank as part of the future state of Palestine.

A BIBLICAL (THIRD LENS) PERSPECTIVE: Before introducing any Scriptural commentary, I would like to ask a couple of questions which require thoughtful answers. What solutions do the final status talks contain? Who can deliver a plan that the Palestinians will accept? [It has been clearly stated by so-called Palestinian leaders and allies - actually terrorists in business suits - that there will be no satisfaction until the little Satan (Israel) and the big Satan (the USA) are destroyed]. And, what is Palestine and who are the Palestinians? The term wasn't even used until introduced by Yassar Arafat in 1967. Without trying to answer any of those questions, I will stipulate that the situation is extremely complex and will not be settled until a false peace is effected by the anti-Messiah. About that, Scripture does speak.

"...the people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. [done in AD 70 by Roman General Titus] The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. He [the ruler of the people to come] will confirm a covenant with many for one seven [7-years]. In the middle of the seven he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple [a rebuilt 3rd temple, obviously a condition of the covenant], he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him. (see Revelation 19:17-21) (Daniel 9:26-27) Jesus also spoke of this man in His prophetic discourse recorded in Matthew 24-25. "So when you see standing ion the holy place the abomination that causes desolation, spoken of through the prophet Daniel - let the reader understand - then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains." (Matthew 24:15-16) Paul spoke of this peace and the man who implements it, who remains somewhat hidden until the middle of the 7-year covenant, when he desecrates the rebuilt temple. "While people are saying 'peace and safety,' destruction will come upon them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, but they will not escape." (1 Thessalonians 5:3) [For a further development of these times, read the blog "Birth Pangs and Fig Trees on http://www.endtimesencouragement.blogspot.com/] Paul speaks further of this event: "Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God [that's why he is known as the Antichrist] or is worshipped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God." (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4)