Does God punish nations who side with Islam?

[Lisa]

Personally i am not of the opinion that God brings calamity upon nations that take the side of the Palestinians (my God is simply not a political God and is interested in bringing salvation and glorifying Jesus, but I am posting this as a place for discussion about this issue...).


HAVE WE NO FEAR OF GOD?  
We can read, so clearly and repeatedly in the Scriptures, what God says will be His response to and judgment on those nations or individuals who dare to turn against the "Apple of His eye." And yet nations, in total disregard, are following their own self centered, self-expedient, policies vis-à-vis the people and nation of Israel.

 

But not only the nations! Even Christians and Jews who claim to believe in the Bible or Tanakh often add their voices to the global chorus of criticism and disdain that is directed toward Israel! One wonders which Bible these people read? Below are just some of the Scriptures we would do well to heed if we do not want our lives or our nations to come under the intensifying judgments of God. For His Word stands fast until this day, that He will bless those who choose to bless His people, and He will curse him who wants to curse His people.

 

"I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."  (Genesis 12:3)

 

Come near, you nations, to hear; and heed, you people! Let the earth hear, and all that is in it, the world and all things that come forth from it. For the indignation of the Lord is against all nations, and His fury against all their armies; He has utterly destroyed them, He has given them over to the slaughter. For it is the day of the Lord's vengeance, the year of recompense for the cause of Zion.  (Isaiah 34: 1, 2,

 

For the nation and kingdom which will not serve you shall perish, and those nations shall be utterly ruined.  (Isaiah 60:12)

 

A Song of Ascents. "Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth," let Israel now say-- "Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth; yet they have not prevailed against me. The plowers plowed on my back; they made their furrows long." The Lord is righteous; He has cut in pieces the cords of the wicked. Let all those who hate Zion be put to shame and turned back. Let them be as the grass on the housetops, which withers before it grows up, with which the reaper does not fill his hand, nor he who binds sheaves, his arms. Neither let those who pass by them say, "The blessing of the Lord be upon you; we bless you in the name of the Lord!"  (Psalm 129)

 

'Therefore do not fear, O My servant Jacob,' says the Lord, 'nor be dismayed, O Israel; for behold, I will save you from afar, and your seed from the land of their captivity. Jacob shall return, have rest and be quiet, and no one shall make him afraid. For I am with you,' says the Lord, 'to save you; though I make a full end of all nations where I have scattered you, yet I will not make a complete end of you. But I will correct you in justice, and will not let you go altogether unpunished.'  (Jeremiah 30:10-11)

 

In that day the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the one who is feeble among them in that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the Angel of the Lord before them. It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn."  (Zechariah 12:8-10)

 

These are just some of the Scriptures that show with how carefully, and with what humility and trembling, we need to approach the subject of Israel.

 

If the Lord Himself describes His act of returning His people to the land He promised them as an everlasting possession - as He does through His prophet Jeremiah - as something He will do "with all His heart and all His soul," then who are we, especially if we call ourselves children of this God, to contradict or gainsay His Words?

 

This is how He says it:

 

'Behold, I will gather them out of all countries where I have driven them in My anger, in My fury, and in great wrath; I will bring them back to this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely. They shall be My people, and I will be their God; then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me. Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will assuredly plant them in this land, with all My heart and with all My soul.'  (Jeremiah 32:37-41)

 

Who then would dare to be against this, to oppose God as He "with all His heart and all His soul" is planting His people, as He repeatedly foretold that He would do, in His own land? Isn't it terrifying to see the arrogance and opinionatedness of so many, yes, too many of those who claim to be His children?

 

The reactions to the following article will show where we stand and are in relation to all these verses already quoted.

 

For if these verses speak of a full and devastating destruction on all the nations - yes also our own nations - for failing to serve and stand up for the nation of Israel, then no one who reads will take offense, as I am certain many will still do, with what follows.

 

In Chrisifiles I read:

 

Before I start, I want to remind you of something which you will read later at the bottom of the message... and don't miss John McTernan's interview concerning 911 and it connection with America's intention, which was to recognize a Palestine State around the same time..

(..shortly after Rudd dismissed the Israeli diplomat, he himself was dismissed from being PM by Gillard ..) He later became foreign minister. Big Mistake because God had already dismissed this man.

 

Friends, whoever is responsible for this Evil Act in Moscow, whether Chechen Terrorists or other Muslim groups, it can only be described as Pure Evil. Yet, I see some moral 'lesson' to this incident. I don't mean any justice has been served, how can this ever be said, God Forbid? But there's a lesson here for Moscow to understand that Israel is being asked to accommodate these same type of people. (There's already a rumor that the bomber might have been an Arab? Regardless of the truth of that, he was a terrorist of the same kind as the Arab terrorists Israel is being forced to accept by the Russians, and backed by Russia)

 

Only last week, Russia's Leader Medvedev was telling the world from the Palestinian controlled "West Bank" how Russia was not changing (not going back on) from the decision made by the then Soviet Union which is that the Soviet Union had already recognized a Palestinian state. Russia was making a statement in effect that they where officially joining the south American nations to recognize Palestine, and that they didn't need to announce the same officially because they were saying they have already done so. The Rest of the world community saw this as Russia's covert recognition of a Palestinian state. So Medvedev was confirming this so that Israel would get a clear message. Is there a message God is now sending to the world and specifically to the Russians?

 

In essence, they are really supporting the terrorists who have vowed to destroy Israel and telling Israel to make peace with these terrorists and to compromise in order to accommodate a terrorist state within Israel's Biblical borders, dividing the Land in order to create this terrorist entity which will then launch an all out war against what will be left of Israel.

 

Now I believe that Russia is being shown, by the Lord I believe, that they are hypocritical! Who cannot feel contempt toward those evil cowards? Yet the rest of the nations show contempt, excepting when it is a terror attack against Israel - then they blame it on Israel instead. This is the lesson of this attack.

 

NOW THE RUSSIANS ARE SAYING:

"Russia needs Israeli-style security checks at airports, President Dmitry Medvedev says, a day after a suspected suicide bomber" attacked a Moscow airport.

9-11 happened prior to an announcement that Bush had planned to make at the UN, this was to come the following 12 days after September 11th. Bush's Administration was working on this prior to the 911 attack. America was going to back a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as it capital. This was to be declared or announced on September 23rd. This came out about two weeks after 9-11 in the Washington Times (as far as I remember it was Washington Times). The Americans were going to tell the Saudis of the decision on the 12th or 13th of September. Watch this Interview by John McTernan  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tGzP6KJF5c ... America was now at war with the same type of terrorists Israel was fighting against.

 

Also, you can read my recent message here, someone on my list, Ron Reese, posted this here - Ron Reese (6 Jan 2011) "AUSTRALIA IS BEING JUDGED,WHY?"

 

But again,just want to recap what I have written about recently:

 

Brazil started this recent (Anti-Israeli) ball running of declaring a State of Palestine within the so called 1967 borders, regardless of whether they solve this through negotiations. VOA | Palestinian Leader Calls For New Peace Plan | News | ...31 Dec 2010 ... Abbas heads to Brazil to launch new Palestinian Embassy ... where he helped lay the cornerstone for a new Palestinian embassy Friday. ...Mr. Abbas spoke from Brazil, where he helped lay the cornerstone for a new Palestinian embassy Friday.

 

Approximately 2 weeks later>>"Brazil floods: Worst single-day natural disaster in its history- up to a 1000 lives lost"

 

Dec 14th a so-called Friend of Israel, Australia'sforeign minister, Kevin Rudd delivers a blunt message to Israel. Tells Israel it must stop settlement, including in East Jerusalem. Rudd travelled to Jerusalem with even more blunt message than everyone expected, with a stinging message he told Israel that they must open up their Nuclear facilities to the UN Inspectors.  

 

In an interview with the Australian newspaper, Mr Rudd not only called on Israel to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), but said it should open all its nuclear facilities to UN inspectors.

 

DURING 2010,A LOW POINT IN AUSTRALIAN-ISRAELI RELATIONSHIP- WENT FROM BAD TO WORSE.

Australia backs Palestinian refugees and Palestinian State

Also the so called Gaza aid Ship: Kevin Rudd has condemned Israel over raid on Gaza aid ships | ...

BBC News - Australia expels Israeli diplomat over Dubai killing

Shortly after Rudd dismissed the Israeli diplomat, that he himself was dismissed from being PM by Gillard

Kevin Rudd's State>>

Queensland needs at least 2 years to recover: Australian Treasurer

Kevin Rudd's home district of Queensland, Australia: Experiencing flooding of 'biblical proportions'

Australia flood rescue and relief efforts are under way to deal with what officials have called a "disaster of biblical proportions."

Floods 'Worst Disaster In Australian History'
The rain poured continuously in eastern Queensland for the last 40 days. Many towns and farmland in central and southeastern Queensland have been swamped. Other parts of Australia are still being flooded.

 

 

This all is only a part, and just the beginning, of the judgments God has already announced in His Word. If nations or individuals - whether preachers or secularists - will persist in their rebellious anti-Israel, "I know it better" ways, the devastating calamities will only increase, both because of our God-less immorality as well as our negative attitudes to the very people that our God is busy restoring "with all His heart and with all His soul."

 

How awful and dreadful, therefore, must His response be to those who thus come against His very heart and soul - the apple of His eye.

 

Although mainly four nations are mentioned above, the list could be made much longer. In His Word God warns all nations, and especially those who divide His land, which is today the coordinated policy of most of our nations, that they will be brought to judgment by Him:

 

I will also gather all nations, and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will enter into judgment with them there on account of My people, My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; they have also divided up My land.  (Joel 3:2)

 

Observing the dangerous upheavals occurring in even the so-called 'moderate' Arab nations like Tunisia, Jordan and Egypt, one can perceive what, from God's point of view, is in store for the more fanatically oriented nations like today's Lebanon, Turkey, Syria and Iran. God indeed has a day of vengeance for the sake of Zion as Isaiah proclaims, and we shall soon see how awful that day will be!

 

And, as we see the utter loneliness of little Israel, surrounded as she is by so much hatred, and the evil preparations to once and for all obliterate her from the map of the Middle East, with most of the world silent, indifferent and even hostile to her as well as to most of those who call themselves God's people - the Christians - one can understand the cry of God's heart expressed by Isaiah:

 

Then the Lord saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no justice.He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor; therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him; and His own righteousness, it sustained Him. For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak. According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay, fury to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies; the coastlands He will fully repay. So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun; when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him. "The Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob," says the Lord.  (Isaiah 59:15b-20)

 

Will we, as is suggested in this verse, leave God to alone fight His battle for His people at this time. Or will we, like Rees and Samuel Howells from Wales, Corrie ten Boom family, from the Netherlands, Dietrich Bonhoeffer from Germany, Orde Wingate from Britain and many others, take our stand now in prayer, fasting and in prophetic proclamation for His people sake?

 

For if we remain silent now then, as Mordecai warned Queen Esther, "relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place" (Esther 4:14) - but we and our nations will perish.

 

May God in His unfathomable mercy at this very late hour raise true Mordecais and Esthers also in high places I pray.

 

International Christian Zionist Center

 

[Lisa]

Heb 5 vs  13For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

 14But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

[Lisa]

Terror, ruin but no deaths in huge Australia storm

Published February 02, 2011 | Associated Press



First came the terrifying roar, then a violent bang like something had exploded. "We gotta go!" David Leger screamed to his father as one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in Australia tore the roof off their home, sucking the air up and out of the room like a vacuum.

Leger and his parents scrambled down the staircase, but the house shook violently, sending 83-year-old Francis Leger tumbling down the stairs. The family finally made it to a small room on the ground floor, where they rode out the ferocious storm that slammed into the already flood-ravaged Queensland state Thursday.

 

"We're just thankful," David Leger said later as he slogged across the drenched carpet of their ruined home, water pooling around his sandaled feet. "This is only material."

Residents and officials were amazed and relieved that no one was reported killed by the monstrous Cyclone Yasi, which roared across northern Queensland with winds up to 170 mph (280 kph). Tidal surges sent waves crashing ashore two blocks into seaside communities, several small towns directly under Yasi's eye were devastated and hundreds of millions of dollars of banana and sugarcane crops were shredded.

 

Officials said lives were spared because, after days of increasingly dire warnings, people followed instructions to flee to evacuation centers or bunker themselves at home in dozens of cities and towns in Yasi's path.

Hundreds of houses were destroyed or seriously damaged, and the homes of thousands more people would be barely livable until the wreckage was cleared, officials said. Piles of drenched mattresses, sodden stuffed animals, shattered glass and twisted metal roofs lay strewn across lawns in the hardest-hit towns.

 

The region is considered a tourist gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, but whether the storm caused damage to the reef was not yet known. Experts say that cyclones can cause localized reef damage as they cross over and that under normal circumstances they will recover.

Yasi crossed the coast around midnight at the most-destructive Category 5 rating and then immediately began to weaken. Still, it was strong enough to hold a Category 1 cyclone rating about 500 miles (800 kilometers) inland, where it was threatening to cause flooding late Thursday in the Outback town of Mount Isa.

It was a terrifying night for thousands who waited out the storm in their darkened houses. Sandy Haratsis was fighting off a panic attack as she lay on a mattress between her daughters' beds listening to the cyclone rage outside. The two-story wood house was shaking, and she was worried about the roof.

Suddenly, a bang rang out, followed by a whoosh. Her daughters screamed as raindrops began falling onto them through the ceiling. The roof was peeling away.

"That's it! Downstairs!" Haratsis shouted at her daughters and her 69-year-old mother Verna Kohn. They fled to a small ground floor room and spent the night sitting in a tight cluster on a bed of pillows, listening to the radio and praying the house would hold up.

"It was eerie and whistling and whirling and popping and girls screaming," Kohn recalled Thursday as she stood inside her waterlogged home.

 

Everything was drenched: the furniture, the carpet, her floral curtains, the stacks of hand-sewn quilts she'd spent years carefully crafting. On the ground floor, water dripped through the ceiling into saucepans and buckets scattered about. Half her roof had been torn away and the windows ripped off. A neighbor's palm tree lay across her yard.

The disaster zone was north of Australia's worst flooding in decades, which swamped an area in Queensland state the size and Germany and France combined and killed 35 people during weeks of high water until last month.

But the storm added to the state's woes, and was sure to add substantially to the estimated $5.6 billion in damage since late November. The government has already announced a special tax nationwide to help pay for the earlier flooding.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said several thousand people would be temporarily homeless, and Red Cross Australia and local governments were registering people in need and finding places to house them.

It would take days to make a proper assessment of the damage, and fatalities could yet emerge.

"It's a long way to go before I say we've dodged any bullets," Bligh said.

Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts said initial assessments were that more than 280 houses were damaged in the three hardest-hit towns, and crews were unable to reach at least four others, so the tally would certainly rise.

 

Australia's huge, sparsely populated tropical north is battered annually by about six cyclones — called typhoons throughout much of Asia and hurricanes in the Western hemisphere. Building codes have been strengthened since Cyclone Tracy devastated the city of Darwin in 1974, killing 71 in one of Australia's deadliest natural disasters.

"This was the worst cyclone this country has experienced, potentially, for 100 years, and I think that due to very good planning, a very good response ... we've been able to keep people safe," Roberts said.

Still, signs of devastation were everywhere. The main coastal highway was a slalom course of downed trees and power lines, fields of sugar cane and banana were shredded and flattened, and lush hillside forests were stripped of every leaf.

Rudy Laguna, 53, picked his way through the drenched rubble of a house he owns in Tully. The roof had peeled away, the windows were shattered and what was left of the siding flapped in the wind. He paused on the verandah and looked up at what was once the ceiling — and saw nothing but cloudy sky.

"It's only timber and fiber," he said. "As long as no one got hurt, it's OK."



Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/02/02/ferocious-cyclone-bears-northern-australia/#ixzz1Cui3AcDN