By ALFRED MARTIN, Th.D. PROFESSOR, MOODY BIBLE INSTITUTE
our Lord (Phil 3:20, 21; I Thess. 1 : 10 ). But if our lives are full of constant, eager expectation of Christ, will this mean that we are immobilized, that we sit passively awaiting this event “ toward which the whole creation moves” ? The Scriptures state exactly the contrary. Those who are most affected in their hearts by the truth of the Lord’s return will be the most active in their witness for Christ. Our tendency is usually, to settle down in lethargy and apathy with perhaps spasmodic attempts to work ourselves into a frenzy of activity. (C on tinu ed on N e x t P a g e) the Arabs, the Western Allies in World War I promised the Arabs in dependence if they would join in fighting against Turkey. The Arabs helped, the West won the war, but instead of receiving their freedom, the Arabs of the Middle East were divided up under French and British man dates. Later, these nations grew weary of their mandates and withdrew. Israel, thereupon, declared her inde pendence and won her war, but the Arabs inherited about 800,000 refu gees who are in part the concern of the United Nations today. These are the problems which loom as mighty mountains to obstruct the realization of the new day which Isaiah foresaw. In considering them it seems inconceivable that without their resolution peace is possible for the countries of the Middle East. Yet, according to the word of prophecy by Isaiah the problems will be resolved in God’s own way and in God’s own time that Isaiah’s dream and hope might come true, and thet which seems impossible today will be ac complished tomorrow. Iraq, Egypt, and Israel, — each will be counted a third part in an equal blessing be fore the Lord in the Middle East. The day will come when someone will again say, “ This was done in order that it might be fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet, saying, “ In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: Whom the Lord of Hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.” END.
I n t h e closing part of the last letter which he wrote, the Apostle Paul mentioned the “ crown of righteous ness” which the Lord will give to all those who “ love his appearing” (II Tim. 4:8). In all the welter of discus sion concerning the detailed events of the prophetic future, we must not lose sight of this personal, practical aspect of the Lord’s return. What is your attitude toward the coming of the Lord? Is His return a vital matter not only in your theology, but also in your daily living? Is the second coming of Christ merely an academic question, or does it touch you in the depths of your being? ISAIAH'S DREAM (continued) reserves within three to five years. This announcement stimulated Wash ington diplomacy to agitate for an open door to America for oil in the Middle East. The open door was granted by shares in the Iraq Petrol eum Company, and by 1928 America, in company with England, France, and Holland, was receiving 24% of the Company’s oil. To facilitate de livery of oil from the fields to the seagoing vessels pipelines were laid from the inland oil fields to the coast. The first pipeline was laid in 1932 from Kirkuk to Haifa, Israel and Tripoli, Lebanon. Another line was laid in 1945 to Haifa and was brought within fifty miles of completion at the time of Israel’s declaration of independence in 1948. A 30-inch pipeline, c o s t i n g $120,000,000, to Banias on the Syrian coast was laid in 1950. These pipelines hastened the flow of oil from the Eastern fields to Western needs. Oil is essential to Western transpor tation and industry. Because of our dependence on petroleum products, some have even gone so far as to call Western culture an oil culture. Such dependency upon oil no doubt par tially explains our national interest in the Middle East and the Eisen hower doctrine that we will resist by force any further aggression in the Middle East. Another factor in the Middle East is the Suez Canal. The canal forms a direct link between the nations on the Atlantic seaboard with those on the Pacific. Not only is contact easier because of the canal but also cheaper,
In the Epistle to the Hebrews the Lord Jesus is pictured as eagerly look ing forward to His own return — “ from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool” (Heb. 10:13). Too often we Christians have discussed this matter too dispassion ately. We do not so consider the re turn of some loved one here on earth who has gone on an extended journey. Longingly we count the days and even hours until that one comes back. In such a case, it is not a theory, but an expectation which radically affects our moment-by-moment experience. This is the way the Scripture tells us we ought to anticipate the return of for the steamship is still man’s cheap est means of transportation. Conse quently, the Suez Canal is vitally im portant to all the nations. Canal toll charges are high, however, amount ing to as much as $30,000 for a ship ment of oil. In the light of such ex pense it becomes reasonably clear why the expensive pipelines are laid from the oil fields- of the Middle East coun tries to the Mediterranean coast to bypass the canal. We are only too fa miliar with the recent demands of Egypt in reference to the canal and her final seizure of this important link between East and West. Egypt, a land not blessed with many natural re sources, saw in the canal a possible source of increased revenue. And finally, the fourth problem needing resolution before Isaiah’s dream can come true is the incom patible relationship between the Arab and the Jew. Though the unfriend liness of the two peoples towards each other has existed ever since the ori ginal antagonism between their two progenitors, Isaac and Ishmael, the Arab-Israel question became acute again on the evening of May 14, 1948, when the declaration of independence of Israel was formally read in the executive chambers of Tel-Aviv. The Arabs were at that time, of course, in possession of Palestine, disregard ing any Biblical statements as to Israel’s right of possession. So the Arabs opposed Israel’s declaration of independence by the well known Israeli-Arab war which ended in a truce in July, 1949, a truce which has officially existed to the present. To complicate matters further with
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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