Biola Broadcaster - 1968-05

dance. Judaism is to be found in several types from the extremely or­ thodox to the most liberal. Some are rigidly strict while others are merely interested in the cultural, social and political aspects of the country. I shall never forget when we wor­ shipped in the Church of the Re­ deemer which is Lutheran. There were only eleven of us besides the two ministers. This gives you a pic­ ture as to how many there are who are really interested in the Gospel message. While there are holy places everywhere, yet there are so few really concerned as to the real mean­ ing of the Messiah of Israel, the Lord Jesus Christ. Amos wrote, “O Is­ rael; and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, 0 Is­ rael” (4:12). Ben Gurion is quoted, when he was asked what he thought was the reason that the Jews were going back to the Holy Land, as saying, “Well, you know, our Jewish people have their own individual opinions. In fact, one of our rabbis, said once if you can get three Jews to agree on anything anywhere in the world, the Messiah will come. We all have our different opinions. I cannot answer for the rest of them, but I believe our Jewish people have come back here to be ready to re­ ceive the Messiah when He comes.” It was about eighteen months ago that our newspapers carried an ar­ ticle about the death of a woman in whose will some fifty thousand dol­ lars were left for the reconstruc­ tion of the temple at Jerusalem. I t is Ben Gurion’s opinion that a com­ ing temple will be built by the Mes­ siah Himself. He is a very close stu­ dent of the Bible, and on this point is absolutely right. Look at Zechariah 6:12 and 13. We must not fail to underscore the lateness of the hour as God is moving among Israel. Never forget it; the Church’s day is far along and decision is called for. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou

Arab Christian and statesman, has stated that the rise of Israel is really an historic event the conse­ quences of which now are impossible to foretell. The Near East has now entered upon a new critical stage of development. Its fate is clearly en­ twined with that of IsVael. It is still the Old Testament challenge between Ishmael and Isaac, and Jacob and Esau. To dismiss the present conflict between the children of Isaac and the children of Ishmael, who are all chil­ dren of Abraham, is not just another ordinary political or economic strug­ gle. When history finally shall reveal its secret, the present confrontation may turn out to be one of the major keys unlocking the secret of the fu­ ture. Peace is the watchword to be heard in the Holy Land today. They do not greet you without asking about your peace. Yes, “They say peace, peace, but there is no peace.” One of the interesting aspect of the prophetic return of the Jew to Palestine is that God said that they would not be returning in belief. There is need of redemption. As one goes throughout the land, this mat­ ter seeps through his bones as the moisture of rain on a damp day. Oh, the need of redemption! There are churches to be found everywhere, including the dominant ones from the fourth century. There are shrines which memorialize everything imag­ inable. For instance, it is said that when Mary was fleeing with our Lord’s legal father, Joseph, on the way to Egypt, part of her milk fell on the ground. Now at that supposed spot they have a “Milk Grotto.” So much time is taken up with the out­ ward rather than the inward, spir­ itually speaking. The Moslems are there, of course, with their five calls to prayer a day. They now have elec­ tronic amplification of their wails which are enough to wake the pro­ verbial dead. These rites and cere­ monies, however, are without God. The Samaritans are there in abun­

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